The Ministry of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs and the Political Parties' Youth Coordination Committee (PPYCC) have agreed to cooperate to achieve the objectives of the Ministry of Emigration Dialogue Centre for Egyptians Studying Abroad (MEDCE). The MEDCE is a ministerial initiative meant to connect academic youth overseas with their home country. Emigration minister Nabila Makram held a meeting on Thursday with a delegation from the PPYCC, comprising parliamentarians and governors. The parties agreed to take Egyptian youth studying abroad on field visits to a number of Egyptian governorates, to brief them about the state's efforts in various files, including its plan to improve the living conditions of people residing in the poorest villages. The scheme is part of the "Decent Life" initiative, a national plan meant to launch a number of development projects across the country. Makram said she hopes cooperation with the PPYCC will help the MEDCE become an interactive platform for youth from different political backgrounds, read a statement by the ministry. The MEDCE was launched earlier this month as part of the ministry's strategy to connect Egyptian expatriates studying in different countries by tailoring various programmes for them. She added that the ministry wants to benefit from the PPYCC's success, especially its role in empowering young cadres to hold administrative positions in the state. The PPYCC has 31 members in the House of Representatives and 12 members in the Senate. Twenty-three members were elected in the elections held in the past months, and the rest were appointed by the president. Other PPYCC members were recently picked as deputy governors. "We see in the PPYCC members a role model to be emulated [and] exported to various countries of the world via our youth studying abroad," the statement quoted the minister as saying. The PPYCC delegation members asserted their readiness to cooperate with the emigration ministry to implement its strategy designed to help young students overseas to share their experiences with academics at home. The coordination committee said youth studying abroad have the chance to engage in political work in Egypt, given their expertise in various fields that may enrich the Egyptian experience, according to the statement. The first dialogue session between the PPYCC delegation and a number of Egyptians studying abroad will be held as agreed upon in Thursday's meeting. During the session, the experience of the Egyptian state in empowering youth and creating skilled cadres who can make a difference will be explained, the statement added.
