Egyptian Labor Minister Hassan Raddad recently met with Ambassador Amr Ramadan, head of the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation on shared issues. The focus was on addressing irregular migration, raising awareness about its risks, and providing safe and legitimate alternatives for young people through training and employment opportunities that match labor market needs.
The two officials emphasized the importance of integrating efforts between the Ministry of Labor and the National Committee to combat irregular migration, within a comprehensive national vision aimed at reducing the drivers of irregular migration. This includes raising youth awareness of the risks of traveling through illegal channels, while providing legitimate pathways for work and training inside and outside Egypt.
Minister Raddad stressed that his ministry prioritizes combating irregular migration by providing genuine employment opportunities, expanding vocational training and qualification for the labor market, and enhancing youth skills to meet local and international market needs. The ministry also regulates the process of sending Egyptian workers abroad, ensuring their rights and protecting them from exploitation by unlicensed brokers and entities.
The National Employment Strategy represents a key component of this effort, aiming to achieve greater alignment between education and training outputs and labor market needs, expand job opportunities, and leverage new trends in the labor market and future jobs. This helps provide positive alternatives for young people and promotes decent work opportunities.
Minister Raddad reviewed the ministry's efforts to develop the vocational training system through its affiliated centers, expanding training linked to project and investment needs, and qualifying youth for work in in-demand professions locally and internationally. He emphasized that providing skills and job opportunities is crucial in addressing the economic and social reasons that may drive some young people to consider irregular migration.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of intensifying awareness efforts, in collaboration with concerned parties, to educate about the risks of irregular migration and expose the methods used by migrant smuggling networks to recruit young people. The focus was on directing youth towards official and safe channels for obtaining work opportunities inside and outside Egypt.
Ambassador Amr Ramadan outlined his vision for developing the committee's work in the coming phase, focusing on a comprehensive approach addressing the economic, political, and social dimensions of irregular migration. He emphasized the need for coordination and information exchange to support national efforts in this area, promoting safe and legitimate employment pathways for young people.
Key points
- Egypt's Labor Minister and the head of the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking agreed to enhance cooperation on addressing irregular migration and providing safe alternatives for youth.
