EUNA: illegal migration should be confronted locally, regionally, internationally

CAIRO, Feb 17 (MENA) - Head of the Egyptian United Nation Association Ambassador Ezzat el Beheiri asserted that the issue of illegal migration should be confronted at the local, regional and international levels.

The ambassador's remarks were made at a seminar held by the Egyptian United Nations Association on Saturday night under the title of "illegal migration in Egypt and means of confronting it."

Director of the Department of Migration, Refugees and Combat of Human Trafficking at the Foreign Ministry Ambassador Nevein el Husseini and Assistant Minister for Migration and Expatriate Affairs for Institutional Development and Egyptians Abroad Dr. Saber Suliman attended the seminar along with a number of diplomats, intellectuals and officials concerned with the issue.

Ambassador Beheiri said that Egypt is an important country for settling such issue at the local level as it has been one of the center points for migrants, adding that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has directed strong attention to this file, asserting that thanks to his focus on the matter and assiduous efforts by the authorities concerned, no illegal migrant boats have been detected departing from any part of Egypt since September 2016.

He added that Egypt's success in combating illegal migration was a result of the security measures and establishment of many development projects especially in the areas which were reported to produce a high number of potential migrants.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Nevein el Husseini said the illegal migration is a vital international issue which requires high coordination and cooperation among the various ministries and civil society organizations.

She said there are around 10 million Egyptian migrants abroad, 70 percent of them are in the Gulf countries, 15 percent in Europe, 13 percent in North America and the rest in other parts of the world adding that their annual remittances have notably grown to record dlrs 27 billion in 2018.

She also highlighted Egypt's cooperation with international partners including Germany, Italy and the International Migration Organization (IMO) in addressing the main reasons for migration and launching initiatives to create job opportunities and development especially in underprivileged remote and slum areas along with controlling the borders and cracking down on human trafficking and smuggling gangs.