President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi last week ratified a new law to curb illegal migration and crack down on human smuggling amid a hike in the number of migrants departing Egypt for Europe. The law was approved by parliament in October. People smuggling networks have placed thousands of migrants on boats leaving from Egypt's North Coast to head for southern Europe. In September a boat thought to be carrying up to 450 people capsized off the coast. A total of 202 bodies were recovered from the sea and 169 migrants rescued. In June 320 migrants drowned off the Greek island of Crete. Survivors of the calamity said their boat departed from Egypt. In a recent hearing before the Italian Parliament Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, head of the European mission EUNAVFOR MED, said ten per cent of migrants arriving in Italy set sail from Egypt. Migrant traffic from Egypt, which had been diminishing, increased last spring following the signing of the EU-Turkey migrant accord. Under the new law a national committee is to be set up to spearhead attempts to combat people smuggling and administer a fund providing financial aid to the victims of trafficking. Anyone convicted of smuggling migrants or acting as brokers will face stiffer prison sentences and fines, and actions to facilitate migrants' journeys – including providing shelter - have now been criminalised. The victims of trafficking are not penalised, and the new law obliges the authorities to provide temporary shelter and medical support for illegal immigrants. The government consulted the International Organisation on Migration, the EU Commission for Migration and other international bodies while preparing the law to ensure it did not violate international treaties and agreements to which Egypt is a signatory. On Monday Al-Sisi met with Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration. Avramopoulos also met with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri to discuss security and migration. He told Al-Ahram daily that Egypt remains a major country of origin and transit for migrants and refugees, many of whom reach Europe through irregular channels. He stressed that Egypt and the European Union are partners and need to develop their cooperation over both migration and security. Cairo, he said, plays a crucial role in ensuring regional stability and strengthening Arab-European ties. “I believe it is in our common interest to discuss and identify the most appropriate way to prevent the use of these irregular channels and improve the management of the overall flows by addressing, in a balanced and comprehensive manner, all the issues at stake,” said Avramopoulos. Avramopoulos pointed continuing violence and instability in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Syria as the reasons behind the growth in illegal migration from Egypt.
