Ashraf AboArafe
Cairo – Ambassador Nabil Habashi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Egyptians Abroad, and Jürgen Schulz, Ambassador of Germany to Egypt, jointly inaugurated the first edition of the Labour Mobility Forum between Egypt and Germany for 2025, under the theme “Connecting People with Opportunities”. The forum was organized in partnership between the Ministry and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), within the framework of the Egyptian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration, and Reintegration.
Ambassador Habashi emphasized that the forum aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between Egypt and Germany in the field of regular migration and skilled labour mobility, with the participation of German entities and international development partners. He highlighted the interactive feature “Berlin Street”, which offers an educational experience showcasing the legal migration process to Germany.
He also pointed out Egypt’s continued efforts to combat irregular migration and promote legal pathways, in coordination with Germany and the EU, while capitalizing on new German migration laws. The government is also working to expand cooperation with German federal states such as Bavaria and Saxony, creating broader employment opportunities for Egyptian professionals.
Ambassador Habashi also announced the launch of the “THAMM PLUS” project in February 2025, which supports legal migration by offering vocational training, language courses, and cultural preparation, thereby improving access to local and international job markets.
For his part, Ambassador Schulz underlined the shared commitment of both governments to facilitate labour migration, stating that Egypt and Germany have complementary interests in this regard. While Germany faces a growing shortage of skilled workers, particularly in technical fields, industry, and healthcare—exacerbated by demographic shifts—Egypt boasts a young and dynamic population equipped with qualifications that make them competitive candidates in the German labour market.
A high-level panel discussion followed, titled “Cooperation at Every Step on the Fair Path to Germany”, with participation from Ambassador Habashi, Holger Illi, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Cairo; Marene Dialla, Chair of the Arab-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce; Fatma Suleiman, Deputy Head of the German Academic Exchange Service; Niven El-Seoufi, Head of Language Programs for the Middle East at the Goethe-Institut; and Stephanie Schrader, Head of the “THAMM PLUS” Project at GIZ. The session was moderated by Shahira Wassef, Sector Coordinator and Migration Program Manager at GIZ Egypt.
Ambassador Habashi stressed the rising demand for skilled labour in European markets, which aligns with Egypt’s commitment to building national competencies that meet European standards. He reaffirmed the importance of a comprehensive government approach to ensure coordinated efforts across all stakeholders, with the Egyptian-German Centre serving as a cornerstone in legal migration pathways through programs like THAMM PLUS.
Speakers such as Holger Illi and Stephanie Schrader highlighted the importance of achieving triple wins: institutional capacity building, alignment with partners, and gaining trust from the private sector. They also emphasized leveraging existing institutional frameworks and working closely with public employment agencies to enhance labour mobility outcomes.
The first day concluded with the official opening of “Berlin Street” at the Swiss Club in Cairo, launched by Ambassador Habashi and Ambassador Schulz. Held for the first time in Egypt, the interactive exhibition features 18 German institutions that simulate the entire migration journey to Germany for employment. Participating organizations included Deutsche Bahn, Transmiga, Siemens, the German Federal Employment Agency, the Goethe-Institut, DAAD, the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and several universities and recruitment platforms.
“Berlin Street” also hosted consultation sessions on topics such as certificate recognition, studying in Germany, writing professional CVs, migrant support services, and vocational training opportunities—all designed to connect Egyptian youth with German employment prospects through meaningful networking and guidance.
