Experts of the Committee on Migrant Workers Highlight Egypt’s Vital Role in Maintaining Regional Stability, Raise Questions on Unaccompanied Minors and the Alleged Expulsion of Sudanese
The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families today concluded its consideration of the combined second to fourth report of Egypt, with Committee Experts highlighting the State’s vital role in the region when it came to stability and raising questions on how Egypt protected unaccompanied minors, and on the alleged expulsion of Sudanese from its territory.
Sabrina Gahar, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Egypt played a vital role in the region when it came to stability and had demonstrated its growing commitment to international conventions, particularly in its recent adoption of a law on refugees. This reflected Egypt’s ongoing commitment to human rights.
Ms. Gahar asked if Egypt’s legislative framework covered the children of migrant workers, unaccompanied minors, and children who were fleeing armed conflict?
What protection strategy had been implemented for Palestinian, Sudanese and Syrian children? Another Expert said according to the figures provided, Egypt was seeing unaccompanied minors coming into the country; what was the State doing to address this?
Pablo Ceriani Cernadas, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee had read a set of reports relating to collective deportation measures at the border of Sudanese people. Could more clarification on these reports be provided? There had been situations of ill treatment by the police and military forces at the border. What measures had been taken in light of those allegations? Had investigations been conducted to ascertain if those events took place? What was the outcome of those investigations?
The delegation said Egypt was at an advanced stage internationally in terms of providing protection to children. The protection mechanisms in place covered children of migrant parents and all children present on Egyptian territory. The National Bureau for the Protection of Children was a specialised office that provided protection to all children, regardless of their status or nationality. The State also strove to protect unaccompanied children. The National Council for Maternity and Childhood could help children when required, as had been seen in the case of unaccompanied children from Sudan who were placed in protection.
The delegation said there were no collective expulsion cases before the courts. Egypt hosted around five million Sudanese citizens; in addition, it had hosted around 500,000 persons displaced from Sudan since the beginning of the crisis. It was not true that Egypt had conducted a mass expulsion of Sudanese citizens. However, if a person committed an act which was a crime under Egyptian law, expulsion was a sovereign right which could be taken by the State.
Presenting the report, Khaled Aly El Bakly, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights and International Social and Humanitarian Affairs of Egypt and head of the delegation, said Egypt was proud to be the first country to accede to the Convention, and was proud of its historical role in hosting migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers on its territory. The State had adopted a comprehensive approach, working to integrate migrants and refugees into the local community, guaranteeing their access to basic services such as health, education and employment.
However, Egypt faced serious challenges due to its geographical position in a politically turbulent region, Mr. El Bakly said. Egyptian authorities were dealing with mixed cross-border flows of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants, and organised crimes such as migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal mining. Given these challenges, Egypt hosted around 10 million foreigners, both regular and irregular migrants, who were given equal access to health and education services with nationals, including family planning services. Egypt urged the Committee to support the request to the United Nations organizations to provide more support and assistance.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Gahar expressed gratitude to the Egyptian delegation for their commitment in drafting the report, which shed light on the efforts to protect migrant workers. The Committee remained committed to support Egypt in their protection of migrants’ rights. In crises, the true character of a nation was revealed in their ability to accommodate those in need.
In his closing remarks, Mr. El Bakly said Egypt was committed to taking the Committee’s recommendations on board. He thanked all those who had been involved in the dialogue.
The delegation of Egypt was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Labour; the National Coordinating Committee on Preventing and Combatting Illegal Migration; the Supreme Standing Committee for Human Rights; and the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
The webcast of Committee meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Committee’s thirty-ninth session can be found here.
The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 December to review the second periodic report of Peru (CMW/C/PER/2).
Report
The Committee has before it the combined second to fourth periodic report of Egypt (CMW/C/EGY/2-4).
Presentation of Report
KHALED ALY EL BAKLY, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights and International Social and Humanitarian Affairs of Egypt and head of the delegation, said Egypt was proud to be the first country to accede to the Convention, and was proud of its historical role in hosting migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers on its territory. Egyptian workers contributed to the development of the countries of destination as well as strengthening the economic capacity of Egypt. The State had implemented legal measures to ensure that migrant workers were protected from all forms of discrimination. Anyone in Egypt had access to the judiciary without having to prove their nationality. A legal manual set out recommendations for workers and included information about international conventions and practices.
The Ministry of Labour periodically issued instructions and manuals for migrant workers and their family members about their rights and the complaint mechanisms, as well as the regularisation of their legal status. Foreign workers, including irregular migrants, had equal rights with national workers, including the right to lodge complaints with labour offices and courts. They could also regularise their situation without having to leave the country, including obtaining work permits. These provisions had been widely disseminated to ensure that they were accessible to those workers.
Egypt was one of the leading countries adhering to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The State had adopted a comprehensive approach, working to integrate migrants and refugees into the local community, guaranteeing their access to basic services such as health, education and employment. However, Egypt faced serious challenges due to its geographical position in a politically turbulent region. Egyptian authorities were dealing with mixed cross-border flows of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants, and organised crimes such as migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal mining. Given these challenges, Egypt hosted around 10 million foreigners, both regular and irregular migrants, who were given equal access to health and education services with nationals, including family planning services. The possibility of integrating migrants and refugees into the comprehensive social health insurance project was currently being explored.
Several measures had been taken to enhance social protection and improve the working conditions of migrant workers in the informal sector. These included reducing the fees required to regularise the status of informal workers to be nominal; expanding the umbrella of social insurance to cover labour in the informal sector; implementing a comprehensive health insurance system; raising awareness of the advantages of joining the formal sector; and establishing an updated database of foreign workers, among others. The National Council of Women took complaints from women irrespective of their nationality, and sent them to the Ministry of Labour for prompt follow-up. Many campaigns were organised to inform women of their rights and how they could access remedies for any rights violations.
Two weeks ago, the Egyptian Parliament adopted the first national law regulating refugee affairs and asylum methods in Egypt in accordance with international conventions. The law established a permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs and ensued the provision of all aspects of support, care and services to refugees in cooperation with development partners. The law recognised the priority of examining and studying asylum applications submitted by persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, unaccompanied children or victims of human trafficking, torture and sexual violence, and included a right for refugees to obtain a travel document. Individuals were exempt from fees when it came to health, education and justice.
The Government was in the process of drafting a new labour law that aimed to further protect workers' rights, and was also looking at a bill on domestic workers to integrate them into the formal economy.
Egypt faced overlapping challenges, including economic development, the political and security context in neighbouring countries, the political, economic and security burdens from hosting nearly 10 million international migrants, and challenges related to climate change, including water shortages. The support from United Nations organizations and the international community was insufficient in helping to share the burden. Egypt urged the Committee to support the request to the United Nations organizations to provide more support and assistance. Human and financial resources needed to be commensurate with the challenges faced. Egypt was open to a constructive interactive dialogue with the Committee.
Questions by Committee Experts
KHALED BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Egypt’s presence today reflected the key role the State played in protecting the rights of all migrant workers. Egypt had not yet ratified the two International Labour Organization conventions 143 and 197 on migration, as well as convention 122 on employment policies, and convention 189 on domestic work. Did the State intend to ratify these instruments, considering they were fully aligned with the protection of migrant workers? Egypt had ratified convention 182 on the prohibition of the worst forms of child labour; was there an action plan to implement this convention?
SABRINA GAHAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Egypt played a vital role in the region when it came to stability and had demonstrated its growing commitment to international conventions, particularly in its recent adoption of a law on refugees. This reflected Egypt’s ongoing commitment to human rights. Egypt’s legislative framework covered the protection of migrant workers and their families. Did the law cover the children of migrant workers, unaccompanied minors, and children who were fleeing armed conflict? What protection strategy had been implemented for Palestinian, Sudanese and Syrian children?
What strategy had been set up to avoid the detention of migrants in an irregular situation? How many migrants had benefitted from alternatives to detention? What technical procedures were in place to receive reports on human trafficking? How were guides disseminated to relevant professionals and victims? Could information be provided about the terms of the agreements with Germany and Italy on vocational training? What programmes had been set up by the Government to combat human trafficking?
What treaties pertaining to the rights of migrant workers did the State currently plan to accede to? What were the specific policies of Egypt’s Vision for 2030 which related to the rights of migrant workers? Was there a strategy underway? What coordination mechanisms were in place between institutions and civil society to promote the rights of migrants? What were the key tasks of the National Human Rights Council when it came to dealing with climate justice and migration issues? What complaints mechanism had been established within the Council?
What channels and tools were available on the dissemination of the judicial guide on international standards and norms? Egypt had taken several administrative and legislative measures to prevent violence against women. In 2021, a decree created a comprehensive unit on the protection of violence against women. What strategies had been devised to protect migrant women and girls against violence and harmful practices?
PABLO CERIANI CERNADAS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee had read a set of reports relating to collective deportation measures at the border of Sudanese people. Could more clarification of these reports be provided? There had been situations of ill treatment by the police and military forces at the border. What measures had been taken in light of those allegations? Had investigations been conducted to ascertain if those events took place? What was the outcome of those investigations? Had the National Human Rights Council intervened?
In the report, persons who entered the country illegally could be detained but then could be released when they applied for asylum. Could an individual be deprived of their liberty during an asylum procedure? In what kind of detention centre would they be placed in? Who made the decision on their detention? What were the conditions like in these places of detention? Could national human rights mechanisms access these places?
There had been narratives in the media against the migrant and refugee populations, using them as scapegoats for the country’s political crisis. What measures was the Government taking to prevent this situation and contradict this narrative? Could statistics on labour permits be provided? What happened to people who did not have labour permits? How did they live? What were the reasons that individuals were not regularised? Was it due to prohibitive costs? What had been done to reach out to this population?
To what extent were people from Gaza and other parts of Palestine escaping and seeking protection in Egypt? Was the border open? What was the status of Palestinians who were refugees in Egypt? Were they issued with a card by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees? Could they work and access social services? If a person appealed against a negative asylum decision, did this have a suspensive effect on their requirement to leave? What tangible measures would be implemented as part of the recent agreement with the European Union?
What was the level of participation of civil society organizations in Egypt’s overall migration policy? Could the State take on board criticism from civil society? Were mandatory HIV screening tests for work permits still being implemented? What measures were being applied if the test was positive? Why was this sort of test for a work permit in place?
A Committee Expert said Egypt had historically been recognised as a country of destination and transit. Why was there no disaggregated data? What was being done to address this shortcoming? According to the figures provided, Egypt was seeing unaccompanied minors coming into the country; what was the State doing to address this?
Another Expert asked how the Egyptian diaspora were helped through consulates? There were several cases where rulings of the Supreme Court were overruled. Was the Convention invoked in these cases? Were there statistics on the illegal trafficking of migrants? Were there cases of migrants with disabilities? What was being done to ensure that the detention of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers was the very last resort?
One Expert said Egypt was very important for the Committee as it was a model nation with all three levels of migrant workers: origin, transit and destination, in large numbers. What special measures was Egypt taking in terms of Palestinians and Sudanese? Were there special measures taken for migrant workers who spent their lifetime in other countries and were returning to Egypt? They needed support when they returned to their homeland. What was the gender balance of labour inspectors? How many female labour inspectors were there? What sort of training was provided to these labour inspectors? Were they provided with training on a regular basis?
A Committee Expert asked whether Egypt was more of a country of transit or destination? If a country was on one side or the other, the challenges were not the same. Based on the side taken, what were the key challenges and the key measures taken to combat these challenges? Egypt had adopted a national strategy for the empowerment of Egyptian women 2016–2030. Were there any aspects specifically relating to migrant women or girls? Was the ratification of the International Labour Organization convention on domestic workers envisaged?
Another Expert asked about the Government’s relationship with the diaspora? Was there diaspora support from Egypt?
An Expert asked what type of needs Egypt had, whereby the international community could be of assistance?
A Committee Expert asked about the obligation of conducting a military service in Egypt which was necessary for holding senior posts. Was this still the case in Egypt? Did it facilitate the access of migrant workers to senior trade union posts in the country? Ten per cent of the 40,000 asylum seekers had been settled in third countries. Was this voluntary resettlement? The Committee was mindful of the challenges Egypt faced in managing migration.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Convention needed to be ratified by all States. Egypt was trying to tackle the issue of exploitation of migrants. The 2016 law dealt with migrant protection. There was no sanction on migrants who were a victim of trafficking; the sanctions were on the traffickers. There were 30 ministries and bodies represented before the Committee today. Egypt used targeted applicable legislation and had adopted strategies to combat migrant trafficking.
Egypt was no longer just a transit country. There was proper control on the borders. No vessel had left the Egyptian coastline since 2016. The number of Egyptians going abroad could not be compared to the number of people coming into Egypt. This had an impact on the migratory situation in the country. Shelters were open to Egyptians and foreigners.
Egypt was studying the International Labour Organization conventions which were relevant. The Government was doing all it could to work on the ratification of those conventions regarding migrant workers. More than 38 bilateral conventions had been signed with States where there was a large Egyptian labour force. The labour inspectors were the first line of defence in protecting migrant workers. The labour inspection system was independent, and the law stipulated the independence of labour inspectors as they carried out their task.
The draft Labour Code was adopted by the Government with the participation of trade union organizations and civil society. The new Code aimed to achieve a range of goals such as harmonisation between national laws and international conventions.
Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad offered support for Egyptians in host countries, including issuing birth certificates and passports. Consulates could also provide documents for marriage and divorce. Some embassies in countries with many Egyptian workers had special attachés to provide advice on legal issues.
Emergency services and assistance were provided if Egyptians needed to be repatriated. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government adopted a range of measures, including charter flights, to facilitate the evacuation of Egyptians. Egypt was working closely with the United Nations and the Red Crescent to coordinate humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing point. The Egyptian Central Bank encouraged Egyptians living abroad to open currency accounts. Egyptians living abroad were also encouraged to be registered with embassies and consulates, to have access to legal aid as necessary.
Egypt was at an advanced stage internationally in terms of providing protection to children. The protection mechanisms in place covered children of migrant parents and all children present on Egyptian territory. The National Bureau for the Protection of Children was a specialised office that provided protection to all children, regardless of their status or nationality. A hotline and follow-up mechanisms were used to protect children. The State also strove to protect unaccompanied children. When a child was no longer in a dangerous situation, they were provided with the necessary psychological aid. The National Council for Maternity and Childhood could help children when required, as had been seen in the case of unaccompanied children from Sudan who were placed in protection.
Unaccompanied children were considered to be children in a situation of danger. Initially, the State would conduct a search for a loved one. If this was fruitless, a foster family was sought, or the children were placed in centres under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office. Egypt aimed to protect women against violence and the National Council for Women had a hotline in place for this purpose.
The contributions of Egypt had reached around 70 per cent of contributions to people in Gaza and Egyptians in Palestine. Egyptian legislative authorities monitored hate speech and analysed it to understand the causes, with the aim of eradicating it. Hate speech was criminalised by law. Criminalisation and penalisation in Egyptian laws considered such crimes to be an incitement to discrimination and hatred.
Egypt’s Vision for 2030 was launched in 2016 and modernised in 2023. It specified four governing rules: access, sustainability, flexibility, and being people centric. The Vision stressed the importance of solidarity and interconnectedness, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The Vision aimed to increase job opportunities for women, youth and persons with disabilities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was the governing body for all refugee affairs in Egypt, including reviewing applications for refugee status. The standing National Commission would work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees through the transitional period until it could carry out this role. The new law committed all asylum seekers who had entered the country under tourist visas, but were in reality seeking asylum, to resort to the national committee concerning asylum established under the new law to regularise their status. The new law said anyone who employed an asylum seeker who was not regularised was committing a crime.
The period 2010 to 2014 had been a difficult time for Egypt. Egypt had now presented all human rights treaty reports, except to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which would be presented next year.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said since 2011, Egyptian authorities had ensured that Egyptian migrants could exercises political rights and vote in embassies and consulates in their countries of residence. The Government had evacuated two Egyptians from Lebanon, around 4,000 Egyptians from Ukraine, and Egyptians from Sudan. The Government had also provided assistance to Egyptian students studying in countries in conflict, and had hosted 16,000 Egyptians returning to Egypt from Sudan, Ukraine and Russia.
Based on figures from the International Organization for Migration, migrants and refugees from 133 countries currently resided in Egypt, with those from Sudan, Syria and Yemen making up around 80 per cent. Data showed that one third of migrants had a stable job and contributed to the Egyptian economy.
The Egyptian Government aimed to regularise the situation of migrants coming from numerous countries. Administerial decisions for regularisation were decided on a case-by-case basis, considering the arrival and family situations of the applicants.
The Government received reports on violence against women, and measures were taken to consider these complaints. Coordination was undertaken with authorities, ministries and stakeholders to enable complaints to be brought forward. Forty-two units had been established to combat harassment in universities. Clinics had also been established for female victims of sexual violence.
Egypt had taken clear and firm decisions to combat female genital mutilation. A national strategy was launched to combat this scourge and a national committee was established. Egypt had established sentences in line with female genital mutilation, to deter those who may be involved in the crimes. There had been a drop in the prevalence of this phenomenon from 22 per cent in 2014, to 14 per cent in 2021. A reporting hotline played a key role in the fight against female genital mutilation. Victims were also provided with social aid.
The Civil Status Code prohibited the registration of marriage for those who had not yet reached the age of 18. A national strategy had been rolled out to combat early marriage, which focused on geographical areas where the issue was widespread. Awareness raising campaigns were launched to highlight the negative impacts of early marriage to poor families, including a campaign entitled “no marriage before the age of 18”. The State was trying to combat the causes which resulted in families marrying off their children before the age of 18. Early marriage was considered a serious crime, and a father who chose to marry off their child would be punished with imprisonment. The husband who married a child would be charged with sexual exploitation.
All workers were subject to the provisions of the Labour Code. Foreigners could obtain a work permit, and this was a legal condition for the entry of foreigners into the country. Egyptian laws enabled foreigners to obtain permits, and exempted them from high costs. Permits cost around 100 dollars. This could encourage foreign workers to work in the formal sector. Egypt had nine recruitment agencies representing them in eight countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Italy, among others, focusing on complaints submitted to them by workers in regard to rights violations and harassment. The agencies had been able to resolve 18,000 complaints amicably and provide thousands of employment opportunities abroad. The agencies also provided guidance and advice to workers.
The judicial authorities took appropriate measures to prohibit the entry of people who might be a threat to the country. Regarding the legal rulings of the Supreme Court mentioned by the Committee, the Convention had been invoked. Training sessions were organised containing information relating to international conventions. Training plans had been drawn up to inform people about how to protect the rights of migrant workers. Seventy-seven training sessions were imparted in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Organization for Migration. This included specific training to combat trafficking in migrants. Training also covered topics such as investigation techniques and international labour standards.
Egypt believed there was a close relationship between migration and sustainable development. The State had launched the national strategy on climate change, and issued regular surveys on the demographic distribution and climate migration. A committee in charge of climate justice and sustainable development had carried out several field studies and visits on formal and informal waves of migration. The committee carried out a vital role in enhancing the national system of human rights. It aimed to provide proposals and discuss legislative proposals, the most recent of which involved the laws on the standards of work.
Egypt believed in the relationship between climate change and internal migration and human trafficking. A fund had been established for migrants, and a separate fund had been created for victims of human trafficking. Social studies had been carried out regarding the informal, illegal migration of unaccompanied minors. Egypt was currently modernising a study of those migrating from Egypt.
The return of migrants to their countries could only be voluntarily, and this was reinforced by the International Organization for Migration. If a foreigner sought voluntary return, the Egyptian Government provided them with such assistance.
There were no collective expulsion cases before the courts. Egypt did not have detention centres for refugees and migrants. Egypt hosted around five million Sudanese citizens; in addition, it had hosted around 500,000 persons displaced from Sudan since the beginning of the crisis. It was not true that Egypt had conducted a mass expulsion of Sudanese citizens. However, if a person committed an act which was a crime under Egyptian law, expulsion was a sovereign right which could be taken by the State.
The Government had a plan to combat all forms of mistreatment of citizens and nationals. Training and awareness raising programmes were established to change the community, school and family culture. There were several mechanisms for Egyptians and foreign citizens to report cases of abuse or torture. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also conducted investigations into cases of abuse. Between 2019 and 2024, the Government had taken disciplinary measures against several officials within the Ministry of Interior regarding cases of mistreatment.
Medical tests and analyses were imposed on citizens and foreigners for certain jobs. This was in place to preserve public health, and to ensure the best levels of physical health were reached.
Egypt was grappling with the migration of persons fleeing conflict situations, in the South, the West and the North. Three of Egypt’s four borders were open, and through these borders the State welcomed those who sought to survive in the aftermath of conflict. Over the past decade, Egypt had massively invested in healthcare programmes for its inhabitants. There were no longer recorded cases of tuberculosis, malaria or hepatitis C in the country. This meant the Government took measures to maintain these achievements. There was a clear link between mass displacement and health challenges. Egypt was conducting studies into the vaccination of children and migrants living in Egypt. This required support and funding from the United Nations.
There could be no expulsion or deportation without someone appearing before the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Egyptian consulate in Sudan was working on a daily basis and continued to issue visas. Egypt had undertaken significant efforts to combat terrorism, and was entitled to protect its citizens from this phenomenon. Egypt had facilitated the voluntary return of 20,000 Sudanese citizens.
Questions by Committee Experts
SABRINA GAHAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked what specific measures had the State taken to ensure that the expulsion of foreigners was carried out by respecting their fundamental human rights? How did the State define what constituted a threat to national security, public order, and public health? What criteria was used to assess this threat in the case of expulsions? Were there transparent proceedings available to migrants in the case of an appeal decision? What type of legal support was available to migrants faced with expulsion? What sort of collaboration was there with non-governmental organizations and civil society to protect the rights of migrants? What mechanisms had been set up to enable migrants to report violations of their rights during the expulsion process?
The latest report from the United Nations Children’s Fund mentioned that the Egyptian State had implemented comprehensive integrated systems for the protection of children. What were some alternative measures to the detention of minors in a situation of displacement? What specific measures had been taken to ensure migrant children of non-Arab speakers had access to education in Egypt? Were there any specific programmes to meet the health needs of migrant children?
PABLO CERIANI CERNADAS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked if an assessment had been carried out regarding the decision taken last year to impose a visa for those with Sudanese nationality? There were measures within the legal framework which recognised access to education for migrant children on an equal footing to nationals. Why were there so many migrant children outside the education system? What measures were being taken to address this? What were the possibilities for those displaced from Gaza to enter Egypt? A private tourist company was charging thousands of dollars to move a family from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. Could more information be provided on this? Why was there a private company intervening in this context? What was the role of the State in monitoring what was happening?
What was the impact of regularisation programmes? How many individuals enjoyed a regular situation? How many people still had to be regularised despite the regularisation plan? The Committee had read news which alleged there were mass deportations of Sudanese citizens. What verification had been carried out to establish whether these allegations were true or false? If a HIV test was positive for a migrant who wanted to obtain a work permit, what result did this have for them?
KHALED BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked about the relationship between the validity of a work permit and residence authorisation? Was the registration of children born in the country automatic, or was there a procedure? What happened with freedom of association for migrants? Could they stand for trade union positions?
A Committee Expert asked for more information about the protection of the rights of migrant workers from Egypt in other countries?
Another Expert said Egypt was one of the cradles for the Black African civilization. There was a category of migrants who had remained in Cairo after finishing university. Were they now fully integrated into Egyptian society? When there was a conflict between customary and Sharia law, how was this settled in the courts? What were the State’s legislative provisions and measures to protect female migrant workers?
A Committee Expert said the Committee understood the importance of Egyptian remittances. What was the State doing to try and keep Egyptians in their country of origin? What was the country doing to strengthen capacity in regard to monitoring and reporting on human rights? What was Egypt doing for climate refugees? Was their status recognised?
Another Expert asked about the impact of law 262 on the illegal trafficking of migrants? Had there been any convictions of traffickers? Could information be provided on migrants who were living with a disability? Were there data and statistics available for this group? If an Egyptian woman had a child with a foreigner, were there any issues with the registration of the child and their nationality?
A Committee Expert asked for more information about the health system for migrants, in particular in regard to reproductive health? How was information about the Convention disseminated among migrant populations and the public? It was difficult to be in Egypt’s position; the country was affected by many constraints, including conflicts in neighbouring countries. What mechanisms were in place to control the informal sector? There were reports indicating that some migrants of Nigerian nationality faced harsh working conditions. Were there any inspection organs? What was the status of domestic workers under the labour law? The Expert expressed empathy to Egypt for all that the State faced. They could expect full support from the Committee.
Another Expert said there were 10 million Egyptians outside the country which was a big number. Was there a structure that aimed to protect the rights of the diaspora in different countries? Were steps being taken to improve the relationship with countries of residence?
One Expert asked if there was an organised effort on the part of Egypt for greater advocacy of the Convention? Did the State make regular recommendations to Western countries to ratify the Convention during the Universal Periodic Review sessions? What other work did Egypt plan to do to make the Convention a universal Convention?
A Committee Expert asked about the numbers of migrants that remained in Egypt after 15 years; did the Government understand why migrants were leaving the country after 10 years? Were there any efforts to understand the impact of climate change on migrants, to produce data and evidence? What were the specific strategies that the Government was trying to put forward to mitigate the impact of climate change on migrants?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that in light of the escalation of the Sudanese crisis and the subsequent heavy flow of migrants, the Government had imposed an entry visa for Sudanese to control the large flow of Sudanese coming across the borders. This was done to address logistical challenges, and in light of the State’s limited resources. The aim was to organise migration flows, so as not to impact the State party’s ability to afford protection to all those on the territory.
Exceptional restrictions had been imposed on remittances during the financial crisis; however, these were released gradually as the financial situation improved. These restrictions were applied throughout Egypt, to Egyptians and non-Egyptians.
In cases when an Egyptian national was arrested abroad, the family of the detainee needed to contact the diplomatic services that would assist them. There were ongoing communications between these bodies and the nationals abroad.
A law was in place which allowed a person subject to expulsion to benefit from appeals open to them. They were also entitled to a lawyer. Expulsions were carried out on a case-by-case basis, and not collectively. Islamic Sharia laws had to do with family inheritance law, whereas other issues were always governed by relevant national legislation.
The Egyptian citizenship law had been amended in 2023, which gave the children of an Egyptian mother married to a foreigner the right to obtain Egyptian citizenship. The detention of children was a last resort, and was carried out in limited cases.
The general policy in Egypt respected the freedom of movement, including for the labour force. Egypt tried to offer workers incentives, including physicians, to remain employed in Egypt. Egypt had around 100,000 Palestinians on its territory who had crossed through the Rafah crossing. The Government had provided primary care to 7,500 Palestinians who were injured. After their care had been completed, some of them were provided with shelter. The budget of care exceeded over 550 million dollars which Egypt had paid in full. The Rafah crossing had not been closed on the Egyptian side, but was occupied and closed by Israel on 6 May. The Egyptian Red Crescent was coordinating the move of injured and sick people. The private company was working with those beyond the humanitarian field.
Closing Remarks
SABRINA GAHAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, expressed gratitude to the Egyptian delegation for their commitment in drafting the report, which shed light on the efforts to protect migrant workers. It was vital to adopt a human rights-based approach to migrants. Significant progress had been made; however, there needed to be a robust political will to implement the provisions of the Convention. Egypt was encouraged to set up networks of regional solidarity for those fleeing armed conflict. A participatory approach with civil society was vital when ensuring migrants rights were respected. The Committee remained committed to support Egypt in their protection of the rights of migrants. In crises, the true character of a nation was revealed in their ability to accommodate those in need.
PABLO CERIANI CERNADAS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, thanked Egypt for its participation in the dialogue. The Committee understood the context facing the country and the considerable challenges being faced because of the two major conflicts in neighbouring States. The Committee’s recommendations would support what Egypt was doing, to obtain the best possible results.
KHALED BABACAR, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, paid tribute to the efforts made by Egypt in the difficult context which prevailed. It had been a fruitful exchange which helped the Committee understand the huge efforts Egypt was making in regard to the rights of migrants. The Committee relied on advocacy carried out by Egypt to promote the Convention.
KHALED ALY EL BAKLY, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights and International Social and Humanitarian Affairs of Egypt and head of the delegation, said the delegation had felt as though they were among family, which was an important aspect of this Committee. The Egyptian State was committed to taking the recommendations by the Committee on board. Mr. El Bakly thanked all those who had been involved in the dialogue.
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