Egypt: Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Wael Hamed, affirmed the depth of partnership relations linking Egypt with both Italy and the European Union. His remarks came during a meeting with a high-level joint delegation from Italy and the European Union as part of the ongoing dialogue and consultations between Egypt and its European partners aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting addressed ways to elevate bilateral cooperation across several priority sectors, foremost among them enhancing cooperation on facilitating labor mobility and opening additional legal migration channels in a manner that serves shared interests and supports labor market needs. The discussions also stressed the importance of adopting a comprehensive and balanced approach to migration management by expanding legal migration pathways while addressing the root causes of irregular migration.
Both sides also reviewed mechanisms to strengthen cooperation in combating irregular migration and confronting human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks, in light of Egypt's continued efforts in this field and its commitment to close coordination with its European partners to promote regional security and stability. The meeting further explored opportunities to expand cooperation in a number of economic and development areas, including vocational training programs, employment support, tourism promotion, and enhanced collaboration in the civil aviation sector.
These efforts aim to advance the existing partnership frameworks between Egypt, Italy, and the European Union and maximize mutual benefits. Hamed stressed the importance of maintaining coordination and cooperation to advance shared interests and support stability and development in the region.