CAIRO: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, arrived in Cairo on Thursday for a two-day visit. The commissioner held talks with Egyptian officials, public figures and representatives from human rights organizations. Guterres expressed his gratitude to the Egyptian government and people for their welcoming attitude and for keeping the borders open for refugees fleeing across the Libyan border, reported local newspapers on Friday. Guterres stressed that keeping open borders for refugees is the most precious contribution for refugee protection and hoped the international community would express the same level of solidarity as Egypt has with the refugees. He stressed that the Egyptian democratic revolution bears a great importance for the whole world and not just Egypt, and stressed the importance of international solidarity at this phase. Guterres confirmed that his visit to Egypt represents a new relationship between the United Nations and Egypt, saying he “found a humanistic vision” in Egyptian officials that was very important for the refugee situation in Libya. He noted that the UNHCR will be working closely with Egypt for refugee protection, and that the UNHCR will strengthen Egyptian efforts so as to lighten the burden on the Egyptian economy that aid to refugees may incur. He said that his visit made him encouraged that Human rights would be a pillar of the Egyptian Policy after the 25 January revolution. Guterres met with the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Social Solidarity and the Minister of Interior, Mansour El Essawi. BM
