CAIRO, Sept 16, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has asserted the necessity of addressing the root causes of illegal migration through reaching political solutions to crises that some countries of the region passing through and restoring peace and security to these countries. The president's expounded this position at a meeting on Sunday with the visiting President of the European Council Donald Tusk, whose country assumed the presidency of the Council of European Union on July 1, and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, the head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel, the head of the European Union mission in Cairo and the Austrian ambassador to Egypt attended the meeting, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said. During the meeting, President Sisi highlighted the huge efforts that Egypt is exerting to address and curb the problem of illegal migration and to control its maritime and land borders in view of the instability that some of Egypt's direct neighbouring countries are witnessing, Spokesman Radi said. Noting that such efforts have contributed to confronting the movement of refugees across the Mediterranean in general, President Sisi stressed that no single case of illegal migration via Egypt has been registered since 2016 until now. In this regard also, the Egyptian leader referred to the burdens that the country is bearing for the sake of stemming illegal migration as well as for hosting millions of refugees from various nationalities and providing them with means of dignified life. The refugees that Egypt is hosting, President Sisi elaborated, are let to live without being isolated in camps or shelters and are enjoying an equal treatment with Egyptian citizens in terms of various services, Spokesman Radi said. For their part, the European Council president and the Austrian chancellor paid tribute to Egypt's efforts aimed at combatting illegal migration, asserting that such efforts are highly appreciated in various European capitals and institutions. They also highlighted that this has been achieved through President Sisi's wise leadership and insightful vision as so reflected not only on curbing illegal migration but also on the tangible positive developments that Egypt is now witnessing. President Sisi also emphasised that the European Union enjoys an important status within the framework of foreign policy not only for being the country's largest trade partner but also in view of the multi-branched links that bind the two sides and the common challenges facing them on the banks of the Mediterranean. The president also lauded distinguished relations binding Egypt and Austria and emphasised Egypt's keenness on elevating the level of co-operation between the two countries in various fields and maintaining consultation on issues of mutual concern.
