Cairo, 21-22 September - The Government of Egypt, Germany and the European Union launch the start of the programme “Towards a Holistic Approach to Labour Migration Governance and Labour Mobility in North Africa” (THAMM) in coordination with the implementing agencies International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and GIZ in Egypt. Within the framework of this programme, a two-day "National Programming Workshop” was held to kick-start the implementation in Egypt. 

THAMM draws on a holistic approach to labour migration governance and mobility. Planned to run for a period of 36 months, the programme covers three countries: Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. It will moreover be open to other North African countries for sub-regional activities. It addresses labour migration and mobility through regional dialogues and cooperation, as well as pilots a mobility scheme between North African countries and selected countries in Europe. 

The workshop’s main objective was to hold in-depth technical consultations with the national partners and relevant stakeholders to validate the work plans for THAMM in Egypt. Workshop participants include representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs; Manpower; International Cooperation; Trade and Industry; Education and Technical Education; Higher Education; Social Solidarity along with representatives from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, in addition to the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the Egyptian Democratic Labour Congress and Egyptian Trade Union Federation. 

During the closing session, Ambassador Amr El Sherbini, Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Refugees, Migration and Combatting Human Trafficking, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt highlighted the importance of building upon a positive narrative to migration and of developing legal migration routes. “In addition to fostering cooperation among the North African countries, including Egypt, and the European Union in the field of labour migration and mobility, the THAMM programme contributes to the implementation of the objectives of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides as well a win-win opportunity for both sending and receiving countries of migrants to address irregular migration across the Mediterranean through creating legal pathways for labour mobility.”

“The EU remains committed to support Egypt on tackling migration challenges. The positive socio-economic impact of employment projects will be significant for both host communities and migrants. Through the THAMM programme, we aim to strengthen legal migration governance and foster mutually beneficial mobility,” said the Head of Cooperation of European Union Delegation to Egypt, Mr Ibrahim Laafia.

“The German Government is thankful for the dialogues on migration with the Government of Egypt. Facing the emerging challenges of irregular migration, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, it becomes all the more pressing and relevant to be able, through THAMM, to facilitate migration positively. We are keen to support the Egyptian Government in its efforts to regulate and govern mobility routes to Europe. THAMM enhances the capacity to manage safe labour migration and mobility between Egypt and Germany according to labour market and development needs. It offers a pathway for skilled workers and apprentices to migrate to Germany that creates a triple-win situation – for Egypt, Germany and the migrants,” said Mr Uwe Gehlen, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Cairo.

THAMM is in line with several jointly funded programmes by the “Emergency Trust Fund for Stability and Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration and Displaced Persons” in Africa (EUTF) and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

For more Information: EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and its support to Egypt

For more information, please contact Wigdan Mohamad at IOM Egypt, Tel: +20 1012 428 527, Email: wimohamad@iom.int