Although the large number of refugees and migrants in Egypt forms a challenge to the Egyptian Authority, the State adheres to prevent all forms of illegal migration, stated Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Monday.

In his meeting with Chairperson of the European People’s Party Group (EPP) Manfred Weber, Madbouly added that Egypt hosts more than 9 million people, noting that this matter adds a heavy burden and cost on the Egyptian state.

The Prime Minister said that the government continues implementing its economic reform programmes despite successive regional and international crises that have direct economic repercussions, which made Egypt lose nearly $7 billion in less than a year due to the decline in Suez Canal revenues.

Madbouly touched on the existing cooperation between Egypt and the European Union in the field of migration in terms of linking migration to development and addressing the root causes of illegal migration.

The Prime Minister discussed cooperation between Egypt and the Europ
ean Union regarding the European financial package provided to Egypt, to support the macro-economy, amounting to pound 5 billion.

In this context, Madbouly asked the President of the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament to support accelerating the disbursement of the first tranche of this financial package, amounting to pound 1 billion, before the end of this year.

Madbouly also expressed his aspiration to support Mr. Weber and his political group in order to vote in the European Parliament in favor of the decision to adopt the second tranche, amounting to pound 4 billion (for the period 2025-2027).

The meeting also touched on Egypt’s efforts in reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner swap deal between the Palestinians prisoners and Israeli captives by Hamas. Madbouly also spoke about Egypt to allow the entry of the humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, affirming Egypt’s full support to the two-state solution.

Source: State Information Service Egypt