Cairo, 1 July 2017 - Ms. Nadia Abdu, Governor of Al-Beheira Governorate, attended the Fourth Annual Mayoral Forum on Human Mobility, Migration and Development, which took place in Berlin on 26-27 June 2017.

The appointment of Ms. Nadia Abdu to attend the event underpins the high number of irregular migrants departing from Al-Beheira Governorate.  During the forum, Ms. Abdu gave a speech on the incident that happened in Rosetta on 21 September 2016, when a boat capsized while trying to reach Europe, killing hundreds of Egyptian   and non-Egyptian migrants. 

The Governor noted that equipping Egyptian youth with the right skills required by national and international labour market needs is a concrete alternative to irregular migration. Establishing such centres in Beheira would contribute to curbing irregular migration by providing regular alternatives –and it may also incentivise youth to seek jobs in Egypt as well.

Participants at the Forum in Berlin had the opportunity to share their experiences on the long-term challenges of integration and how migration can foster economic growth and human development in the host communities. 

The Forum is an annual city-led dialogue   on migration and development, supported by local, regional and international partners. It provides participants with a space where local leaders and mayors from all around the world share innovative solutions for governing migration, protecting rights and promoting inclusive urban economic growth. 

The Forum is organized by the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the UN Joint Migration and Development Initiative and the World Bank, with financial contributions from the Government of Switzerland, KNOMAD-World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and its hosting cities.

For more information, please contact Mr Andrea Dabizzi, at IOM Egypt. Tel: +202-27365140, Email: iomegypt@iom.int.