A file photo of Egypt s Emigration Minister Nabila Makram (Photo: Al-Ahram)
The previously missing citizen was working for a Libyan company when he was arrested for unknown reasons, Minister of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram said.
The Libyan authorities then released the citizen after coordination with the ministry, Makram said, noting that the ministry was keen to follow up on his case on a regular basis until he returned safely to Egypt.
The ministry’s efforts came in response to a request by the citizen’s brother, who had reported him missing, according to the statement.
The statement also urged Egyptian expats to stay safe by avoiding areas of tension, stressing the country’s keenness to support Egyptian nationals abroad and guarantee their safety.
Two million Egyptian workers used to work in Libya before steeply declining after the 2011 uprising that brought down former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi, which left Libya in a state of turmoil.
The number of Egyptian workers in Libya is currently no more than 50,000, said Magdy El-Badawy, vice president of the Egyptian Trade Union in late 2021.
In September, Egypt and Libya launched an electronic link system allowing Egyptian workers willing to work in Libya to apply for jobs and travel to the Arab country this week.
The system seeks to allow Egyptian labourers to participate in the reconstruction of the Arab country with the Egyptian Ministry of Manpower being the only entity in charge of transferring the workers to Libya
Libyan Minister of Manpower Ali Al-Abad said in September that Libya is in need of one million Egyptian workers, especially due to the planned development projects between the two countries.
The return of Egyptian labour to Libya was part of numerous MoUs and agreements signed between Egypt and Libya in April last year during a visit by a governmental delegation comprising Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and 11 ministers to Tripoli.
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