(3 minutes read) (Global ties)
- Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto recognized Egypt’s efforts to stop the flow of Europe-bound migrants through its Mediterranean Sea shores
- At a meeting in Cairo, he urged the European Union to step up support, including funding, to help the Egyptian government address migration
- The Hungarian foreign minister was holding talks with his counterpart in Egypt Sameh Shukry in Cairo
Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto recognized Egypt’s efforts to stop the flow of Europe-bound migrants through its Mediterranean Sea shores. At a meeting in Cairo, he urged the European Union to step up support, including funding, to help the Egyptian government address migration. The Hungarian foreign minister was holding talks with his counterpart in Egypt Sameh Shukry in Cairo.
Egypt hosts more than 6 million migrants, more than half of them from Sudan and South Sudan. These are migrants escaping from continued conflicts in these countries. A good number of people crossing over to Europe are these refugees. Many of them perish enroute to Europe while crossing the sea in ill-equipped boats and ships. Those who are caught during their passage are repatriated by the European authorities. Illegal migration is a perennial problem being faced by countries in both regions. Egypt, lying close to Europe is the easiest route for Africans to enter that region.
However, the Egyptian government has in recent years tightened border security. They managed to prevent Egypt from becoming a major departure point for Europe-bound migrants. In the meantime, the EU has taken several steps to prevent illegal migration. They have put up concrete and razor-wire walls, installed drone surveillance and struck deals with Turkey and Libya to keep migrants away.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a vocal opponent of immigration to Europe. He believes that migration would dilute the continent’s Christian culture and leads to spread of diseases like Covid-19. But there are European leaders who hold a sympathetic view towards migration dubbing this as an offshoot of a large -scale unemployment, poverty and insecurity. They believe that by creating better living standards in Africa can help reduce the migration and are implementing several developmental projects towards that end.
