Egypt, EU hold 4th round of high-level dialogue on migration

CAIRO – 17 July 2024: Assistant to Foreign Minister for European Affairs Khaled Emara and Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Simon Mordue chaired Tuesday the fourth round of the high-level dialogue between Egypt and the European Union (EU) on migration.

On the Egyptian side, there was representatives from the ministries of education, international cooperation, social solidarity, and labor as well as the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons (NCCPIMTIP).

The dialogue tackled the regional circumstances that give rise to the phenomenon, and the root causes stemming from the political, economic, security, and social conditions, as well as ways to deal with it in the framework of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The document will go into effect in 2026, and aims for regulating and coordinating irregular arrivals among EU member states.

Hence, the two sides conferred over strengthening legal migration channels, and handling the process in a balanced and comprehensive way. They also agreed on the importance of attracting more European investments necessary to create decent jobs, and bolstering Egypt's capabilities pertinent to combating illegal migration.

That is in the context of consolidating stability and development in Egypt which is a cornerstone for the security of the EU and the Middle East, and that already hosts over 10 million migrants and refugees.  

The last three rounds took place in December 2017, June 2019, and November 2021. In March, Egypt and the EU signed an agreement to elevate relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership level.