Egypt Daily News – In Lisbon, Portugal, Ambassador Dr. Wael Badawi, deputy assistant minister of foreign affairs for migration, refugees, and combating human trafficking, chaired a significant meeting for senior officials of the Khartoum and Rabat Processes.
This meeting included representatives from 52 European and African nations, with discussions centered around innovative strategies for facilitating skill mobility.
Key attendees included Rui Freitas, Deputy Minister and Secretary of State for the Presidency of Portugal, as well as representatives from various entities such as the European Union, African Union Commission, IGAD, and ECOWAS.
Notable participation also came from the African Observatory for Migration, represented by Ambassador Namira Nageeb, and Dr. Amira Selim from the Egyptian Ministry of Labor. Collectively, the meeting brought together around 150 officials from foreign affairs, interior, and labor ministries.
Dr. Badawi emphasized that the meeting presented a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices among North and South Mediterranean countries. The focus was on establishing regular migration pathways in line with the Global Compact for Migration, which promotes safe, orderly, and regular migration.
The meeting also highlighted Egypt’s comprehensive approach to addressing migration issues, emphasizing the need to balance developmental and humanitarian factors while considering the root causes of migration.
The proposal from the Egyptian presidency of the Khartoum Process aimed to enhance cooperation between the two processes, which serve as platforms for dialogue and collaboration between EU and African countries along critical Mediterranean migration routes.
Participants recognized the challenges faced by both source and destination countries regarding skill transfers and management.
They praised Egypt’s initiative in convening the meeting and underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration to address these challenges and facilitate skill mobility between nations.