Ashraf AboArafe
Ambassador Soha Gendi: We aim to enhance joint cooperation in order to achieve the aspirations of our peoples
Mrs. Respect Juno: We are looking forward to cooperating with Egypt on an exchange program for training workers in the field of immigration and specialized schools
Ambassador Soha Gendi, Minister of State for Immigration and Egyptians Abroad Affairs, received Mrs. Respect Juno, Director of the Immigration Department, Deputy Minister of the Interior of Zimbabwe, and her accompanying delegation, to discuss ways of joint cooperation in the field of combating illegal immigration and areas of training and awareness, as well as benefiting from the efforts and expertise of the Ministry of Immigration in Caring for Egyptian communities abroad.
Ambassador Soha Gendi started the meeting by welcoming Mrs. Respect Gono, expressing her pleasure to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of immigration and community care, noting that the Ministry of Immigration’s work strategy includes a number of axes that aim to take care of the affairs of Egyptian communities abroad and communicate with them wherever they are and link them to their homeland, in addition to To combat illegal immigration by raising awareness of its dangers and examining alternatives at home and abroad through specialized skills development programs, and in cooperation with all concerned parties.
The Minister of Immigration added that any Egyptian around the world is our responsibility, as we are there for them, and our important role is to communicate with them, explaining that work is being done on this communication through many mechanisms, including activating complaints management and responding to their inquiries and complaints, as well as being present on all private communication groups. To Egyptians abroad through all kinds of social media, in addition to launching the “An Hour with the Minister” initiative to meet Egyptian communities abroad via videoconference, and we have met so far with about 45 Egyptian communities around the world.
Ambassador Soha Gendi continued: that communication took place immediately at the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the Sudanese crisis, as well as the earthquake in Turkey, by forming a custom of operations and managing a videoconference to check on them and work to secure them and their return if necessary, as happened in Sudan, stressing that this communication would overcome There are enough challenges facing Egyptians abroad, which is a top priority for us. Work has also been done to enroll Egyptian students returning from conflict zones in Egyptian universities to complete their studies.
Ambassador Soha Gendi referred to the role of the Ministry of Immigration Center for Dialogue for Egyptians Abroad, “MEDCY”, and to communicate with young Egyptians, researchers and scholars abroad, as well as the programs organized by the Ministry for young people of the second, third, fourth and fifth generations of our children abroad in cooperation with a number of ministries, the Egyptian Church and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, noting To the presidential initiative “I speak Arabic” and the launch of the second phase of it to introduce our children abroad to their history, identity and culture to increase their link with their homeland, stressing that the Ministry of Immigration is working day and night to find more means and methods of communication with Egyptians of all categories on any part of the earth, and our goal is for Egyptians to feel Abroad, his homeland is by his side at all times and listens to him.
The Minister of Immigration talked about the advantages and incentives that were provided to Egyptians abroad in many fields, including “importing a personal car for them, providing housing units and savings vessels with high returns, opening bank accounts and discounts on airline tickets”, all of which came in coordination and communication with ministries and agencies. National to meet the needs and requests of our children abroad.
With regard to combating illegal immigration, Ambassador Soha Gendi affirmed that a great effort is being made within the framework of the presidential initiative “The Lifeboats” to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal immigration and reduce them, pointing out that this is done by providing safe alternatives and training for employment and qualifying youth for the labor market. Whether internal or external, launching initiatives to train and educate them about the laws and culture of the country they are leaving for, and teaching them its language. Cooperation was done with the German side through the Egyptian-German Center for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration, and with the Saudi side by launching the “Know Your Right” initiative to introduce Egyptians traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. their rights and duties, and there are steps to repeat the experience with a number of countries, including Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and the European Union.
For her part, Mrs. Respect Jono, Deputy Minister of the Interior and Director of the Immigration Department of Zimbabwe, expressed her happiness with this meeting, pointing to her country’s aspiration for joint cooperation and signing a memorandum of cooperation with Egypt to benefit from the expertise of the Ministry of Immigration in the field of training and an exchange program for training workers in the field of immigration, whether in Egypt. Or the presence of Egyptian coaches in Zimbabwe.
Mrs. Respect Juno also expressed her aspiration for cooperation in the field of investment, calling on Egyptian investors to invest in Zimbabwe, as there are many areas that can be invested in, especially the agricultural field, as we own fertile lands and we have a severe shortage of the human element to cultivate them, and we also want to Cooperation and the presence of Egyptian restaurants in our country, as we love Egyptian food, and this is another investment opportunity, in addition to its aspiration to provide direct flights between Cairo and Harare.
Mrs. Respect Jono also expressed her concern about the transformation of Zimbabwe from a transit country to a destination country in light of the current waves of illegal immigration and refugee flows through smuggling and human trafficking networks, announcing that they will launch their own strategy in the field of migration, which is based on migration policies in Africa and the action plan 2018-2030, in addition to the establishment of specialized schools in the same field, as we do not have this type of school, indicating her country’s desire to cooperate with Egypt in this specialization of education, as well as how to integrate returnees into society.
