Egyptian and Dutch officials discussed Monday means of bolstering cooperation over migration and combating illegal immigration.
Both sides signed a bilateral declaration of intent that included “establishing a joint center to develop technical and vocational skills and create job opportunities in Egypt.”
Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Ambassador Badr Abdel Aty and Dutch Migration Minister Ankie Broekers-Knol co-chaired the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Cairo.
Participants included Ambassador Naela Gabr, chairperson of the national coordinating committee for combating and preventing illegal migration and human trafficking in Egypt, as well as representatives of several ministries.
Bilateral ties and means of enhancing them in various fields, especially migration and illegal immigration, were among the topics discussed, read an Egyptian statement.
According to Abdel Aty, talks come in line with Cairo’s efforts and keenness to collaborate with European countries, pointing to Egypt’s “great efforts and successes in the field of countering illegal immigration” and human trafficking.
Not a single boat carrying migrants has sailed to Europe from the Egyptian coast since September 2016, he affirmed, noting that Cairo has hosted more than six million refugees so far.
Abdel Aty also stressed the importance of bolstering bilateral cooperation through a comprehensive approach that addresses the social, economic and developmental roots to confront this adverse phenomenon, allows the creation of job opportunities and attracts more foreign investments to Egypt.
Broekers-Knol, for her part, hailed Cairo’s outstanding efforts in this regard and stressed her country’s interest in developing and strengthening bilateral cooperation to address illegal immigration.
