Gabr: Egypt supports int’l community efforts to enhance human rights as part of strategy combat migrants smuggling

Chairperson of the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons Naela Gabr asserted that Egypt has always been supportive of international efforts aimed at enhancing human rights as part of its strategy to combat migrants smuggling especially among unaccompanied children, a matter which necessitates providing protection for them as they are vulnerable categories.

Gabr’s remarks were made at the inaugural session of a regional conference that aims at exchanging expertise and best practices in combating illegal migration that kicked off in the Red Sea governorate on Monday.

She said Egypt has been keen on joining international charters including the UN Convention on the Rights of Child and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime for 2000, among others.

The chairperson of the national committee also pointed out that Egypt has taken several steps at the local front to combat crimes as Cairo has established the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons, affiliated to the prime minister, in addition to issuance of Law No.82 for the Year 2016 relevant to combating illegal migration, which is considered the first law of its kind in the region that stipulates sentences against smugglers and brokers of humans.

With the notable increase of illegal migration via the Mediterranean Sea coasts from Africa to Europe, a necessity has been put forward to outline more influential and effective strategies to uncover the criminal groups and provide protection for smuggled persons, added Gabr.

Egypt has been involved in countering such huge challenge which required a consolidation of multilateral international parties as Cairo has attached special importance to regional and international cooperation in this regard in order to mitigate such cross-border crimes, she noted.

Gabr also called for working on enhancing development to be a main pillar for creating job opportunities amid unprecedented economic crises, noting that any solutions to the crisis should include aid programs for the countries exporting illegal migrants to help them provide quality standards of living for their citizens.