Egypt is reliable partner for the European Union, European commissioner for home affairs

CAIRO – 17 November 2021: European commissioner for home affairs Ylva Johansson said, Wednesday that Egypt is a reliable partner for the European Union, especially regarding confronting illegal immigration.

She added in televised statements that the European Union is ‘very grateful for the good cooperation with Egypt’, describing Egypt as a ‘key player’ in the region.

“We are working on reducing irregular migration, along with strengthening cooperation and improving legal pathways to be used by people who want to travel to Europe” Johansson said.

On Monday, European commissioner for home affairs Ylva Johansson said that the EU is ready to deepen cooperation with Egypt, with financial support, on migration in all its aspects.

“Egypt is a key partner for the EU,” she added on her Twitter account after a meeting with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo.

During the meeting, they discussed means of boosting cooperation between Egypt and the European Union in the field of immigration.

Minister Shoukry presented the Egyptian vision on combating illegal migration, most notably by addressing its root causes, bolstering legal migration pathways, and providing support to refugees, noting Egypt’s efforts since it hosts more than 6 million refugees and migrants who receive all services provided to Egyptian citizens, which is a model to follow in this regard.

Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb met with Johansson on Monday.

They discussed the extensive efforts to prevent extremism and radicalisation, and to promote understanding and co-existence between religions through interfaith dialogue, said Johansson on her Twitter account.