Egypt, Mexico seek to strengthen ties on expatriate support, tackle illegal immigration

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Egypt’s Minister of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, Soha Gendi, met with the Mexican Ambassador to Cairo, Leonora Rueda, to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting focused on enhancing support for expatriate communities and addressing the challenges of illegal immigration. Gendi highlighted the strong historical ties between Egypt and Mexico, emphasizing the shared values and experiences of their respective diasporas.

Gendi outlined Egypt’s efforts to combat illegal immigration through initiatives aimed at upskilling young people for both domestic and international labour markets. She emphasised the importance of providing safe and legal migration pathways as an alternative to dangerous irregular journeys.

“We are not against safe migration, because it enhances the transfer of knowledge and expertise, and supports the national economy,” Gendi stated. She also noted the growing demand from Western and Arab countries for skilled Egyptian workers.

Ambassador Rueda expressed her admiration for the Egyptian government’s commitment to gender equality, noting the presence of six female ministers. She underscored the importance of expanding cooperation between Egypt and Mexico on expatriate affairs and addressing undocumented migration.

Rueda highlighted Mexico’s own challenges with undocumented immigration, often driven by unemployment, and emphasized the need for greater investment in technical and vocational education.

Both sides agreed to further coordination and collaboration on supporting expatriates, maximizing their contributions to their home countries, and combating illegal immigration. They aim to explore various avenues to serve the interests of Egyptian and Mexican citizens living abroad.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Emigration, including Saber Soliman, Assistant Minister for Institutional Development and Technical Office Affairs, Salah Abdel Sadek, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, Doaa Qadri, Head of the Central Administration for the Minister’s Office Affairs, Sara Maamoun, Assistant Minister for Projects and International Cooperation Affairs, and Karim Hassan, Media Advisor to the Ministry of Emigration.