Cairo, 19-23 November - Under the cooperation between the governments of Egypt and Mexico, MoSEEA and the Embassy of Mexico in Cairo implemented the first activity which envisages collaboration on knowledge exchange and technical support on expatriate engagement. This cooperation is in support of Egypt’s initiative to develop a national strategy on expatriate engagement. An in-depth, two-part knowledge exchange program with MoSEEA officials was conducted by two international Mexican experts on expatriate engagement.

A three-day in-depth training and sharing of the Mexican experience in expatriate engagement for MoSEEA officials, followed by. a two-day inter-ministerial workshop on expatriate engagement involving over 20 relevant ministries and government institutions. The inter-ministerial workshop, aimed at sharing the best practices from Mexico to help facilitate discussions amongst ministerial counterparts on the ways to develop the strategy on expatriate engagement.

During the workshop, Minister Nabila Makram, Minister of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, mentioned the importance of relying on international expertise and global lessons learned to help Egypt in paving the way forward to an effective expatriate engagement strategy. She expressed her gratitude at the timely cooperation with the Embassy of Mexico on promoting the collaboration on expatriate engagement, led by the efforts of the Mexican Ambassador his excellency, Ambassador Jose Tripp who expressed the keenness of the Government of Mexico to widen the scope of cooperation with the Government of Egypt on expatriate engagement, indicating that this activity would be an initial cooperation marking the sixth anniversary of the bilateral cooperation established between Mexico and Egypt.

Mr. Amr Taha, Head of Office of IOM Egypt, communicated that IOM remained keen on continuing its support to MoSEEA on expatriate engagement and that supporting the visit of the Mexican experts was part of a wider mandate of IOM to support the Government of Egypt on expatriate engagement in the country’s development agenda. Mr. Taha also referred to the complementary Initiatives for Local Development of Egypt through the Support of Egyptians Abroad funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, which led to the implementation of several successful roundtables and initiatives that supported Egypt in laying the groundwork for sustainable and effective mechanisms to engage its expatriates abroad.

This initiative falls in line with MoSEEA’s mandate and role assigned by the Cabinet of Ministers to develop the national policy on migration governance, which includes the formulation of a national strategy on expatriate engagement. IOM, as part of its mandate to support the Government of Egypt, is the lead agency cooperating with MoSEEA on issues pertaining to expatriate engagement, as agreed during the meetings between H.E. Prime Minister of Egypt and IOM’s Director General William Swing during April 2017, and during H.E. Minister Makram and IOM’s Deputy-Director General Laura Thompson in July 2017. The initiative also supports the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10 Reduced Inequalities, and 17 Partnership for the Goals, as well as the realization of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Egypt Vision 2030, particularly with regards to its economic and education pillars.

For further information, please contact Teuta Grazhdani at IOM Egypt. Tel: +202-27365140, Email: iomegypt@iom.int­­.