During the Khartoum Process meeting to combat smuggling and human trafficking, FM Abdelatty also stressed the need to balance security and development considerations while tackling the root causes of migration.
He also emphasized the importance of shared responsibility and burden-sharing to enhance the resilience of migrant-hosting communities.
The high-level meeting, held in Cairo since April 2024 under Egypt’s presidency of the Khartoum Process, brought together senior officials and stakeholders to coordinate international efforts in managing migration across the Mediterranean and the Horn of Africa.
During his speech, Abdelatty outlined the priorities of Egypt’s current leadership of the Khartoum Process, which includes strengthening legal pathways for migration, facilitating labour mobility, investing in skills development, and aligning migration strategies with broader sustainable development goals.
He also noted that Egypt places considerable importance on integrating humanitarian and developmental dimensions in responding to displacement crises, particularly given the growing link between climate change and patterns of migration and displacement.
Highlighting Cairo’s active role in managing migration, Abdelatty pointed out that Egypt is home to more than 10 million foreigners, including migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from 133 countries.
“Despite the continued influx of newcomers, Egypt provides all foreigners with freedom of movement and equal access to public services, on par with Egyptian citizens,” he said.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s top diplomat underscored the strategic importance of the Khartoum Process as a unique political platform for cooperation aimed at generating concrete outcomes through dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and support in key areas related to migration management. He also noted that Egypt has held the presidency of the process twice in the past decade — a testament to its sustained commitment to the initiative’s principles.
Abdelatty said Egypt, through its presidency role, tried to broaden the Khartoum Process's vision and raise its ambition to address evolving migration challenges.
Moreover, he reiterated that Egypt continues implementing a holistic strategy to curb irregular migration, tackle root causes, enhance legal migration channels, promote inclusive development, improve border management, and increase public awareness.
In concluding his address, the Egyptian foreign minister called for deeper international cooperation and reaffirmed the principle of shared responsibility, emphasizing the need for a unified, collective approach to address the global challenges posed by migration effectively.
Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration; Angela Martins, Acting Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the African Union Commission; and Michael Spindelegger, Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), attended the opening session of the Khartoum Process.
Representatives from nearly 50 countries across Europe and the Horn of Africa and key regional and international organizations attended the meeting.
First launched in Rome in November 2014, the Khartoum Process — also known as the EU-Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative — is now under review at the 2025 Cairo conference, marking the first opportunity to evaluate its achievements over the past decade.
The Khartoum Process comprises 40 member countries, alongside the European Commission, the African Union Commission, and major international organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
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