News item | 10-04-2025 | 10:15
Minister Faber (asylum and migration) has given the starting signal in Cairo for a project that supports regional governments in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel with the help of the Netherlands in combating human smuggling.
The Netherlands finances the project and pays 1 million euros for the two -year process that is rolled out under the flag of the United Nations (UNDP) and the Egyptian CCCPA.
The project is partly carried out in Cairo and will map regional smuggling networks and routes as well as support governments in North Africa in combating and preventing irregular migration, human trafficking and the organized crime that accompanies this.
Minister Faber: ‘The inflow into the Netherlands must be reduced because there is no support for the care of large numbers of migrants in our country. That is why combating illegal migration is essential and cooperation with Egypt is very important. This new project tackles the problem in the origin. When we curb the migration flow, we ultimately prevent illegal migrants, who often have no entitlement to asylum in our country, ultimately report to Ter Apel. I therefore find this financial contribution completely justified. “
The Netherlands and Egypt have been working together since 2021 to prevent and combat irregular migration. During her two -day visit to Egypt, Minister Faber had a meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister and Immigration and spoke about this subject.
She also visited a ministerial conference in the Egyptian capital where it has been discussed about combating human smuggling in the Horn of Africa and had bilateral encounters with fellow ministers from Tunisia and Somalia, among others. Minister Faber also spoke with European Commissioner Magnus Brunner (migration).
Since her appointment, Minister Faber has been working within international partnerships to curb migration flows to the Netherlands and Europe. Within the European Union, she is working on a coalition of like -minded countries that is working for further tightening of European asylum legislation, an effective return policy and the further limiting of migration flows.