Second meeting of the Migration Dialogue between the European Union and Egypt

11.07.2019
Cairo

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Sameh SHOUKRY, and EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS inaugurated on June 25th, 2019 the Second Round of the Migration Dialogue and touched upon enhanced cooperation with EU Agencies. The first Session of Egypt-EU Migration Dialogue was launched to the benefit of both sides in December, 2017. The second meeting of Senior Officials took place in Cairo on 10 July 2019.

The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Ambassador Amr RAMADAN, Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs, and H.E. Ambassador Ivan SURKOS, Head of EU Delegation to Egypt, Mr Simon MORDUE, Deputy Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs, and Mr Maciej POPOWSKI, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. The meeting involved high –level representatives of several ministries and agencies on both sides.

The Egypt-EU Migration Dialogue is held in the context of delivering on the EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities 2017-2020. The dialogue reflected the common interest and mutual benefits for Egypt and the EU to exchange views on migration and work closely on migration related areas of common interest, while addressing the mutual challenges together in a balanced comprehensive way, that takes into consideration the priorities of both sides, along with the root causes of migration including the developmental, economic, social and security dimensions. It facilitates a closer strategic engagement and cooperation on migration. Embedding migration within the overall bilateral relationship between Egypt and the European Union, it seeks coherence with other priority areas. The Dialogue takes into account the existing processes on migration, including the Khartoum Process and the follow-up to the November 2015 Valletta Summit through implementation of the Summit's Political Declaration and Action Plan.

The 2nd session of EU- Egypt Dialogue comprehensively covered all migration-related issues as follows:

  • Development benefits of migration, addressing its different effects, as well as the root causes of irregular migration, and agreeing on the importance of creating more jobs for potential immigrants, and promoting legal pathways for migrants both at bilateral and regional level as well as promoting the access of the seasonal/temporary Labour to the European Market along with the demographic trends across the Mediterranean. This pillar shed the light as well on the importance of enhancing the response to migration challenges in Egypt-ERMC projects.
  • Legal migration and mobility, tackling ways to meet the needs of European labor market by emphasizing vocational training, addressing as well the urge to facilitate the process of visa acquisition for Egyptian Nationals.
  • Prevention of and fight against irregular migration, and trafficking in human beings, focusing on the efforts deployed by Egypt for enhancing the prevention of illegal migration, the Egyptian requests for necessary equipment for stronger border management, reinforcing cooperation between Egyptian authorities and EU agencies to prevent irregular migration, migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons.
  • Protection and asylum, focusing on the importance of mobilizing efforts to provide protection to those who qualify for it in line with international standards.
  • Return, readmission and reintegration, exchanging views to come up with an integrated approach towards return, including support to sustainable voluntary return and reintegration schemes.
  • Regional dimension of migration, tackling undergoing regional projects under EU emergency trust fund for Africa.

The deliberations of the second session of Egypt-EU dialogue have reflected the common will of both sides to enhance their bilateral and regional cooperation in regards to migration challenges and opportunities.