Egyptian prosecutors have received trainings on countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling, which were offered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Egypt.

The trainings were given to 60 Egyptian prosecutors through three rounds held in Cairo and Alexandria during June.

"Egypt has a key geo-political role in the region, both in migration from Sub-Saharan Africa and flows across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)," the IMO has said in a statement.

The IMO added that Egypt’s position in the region makes it a point of destination and transit for migrants, and a destination country for smugglers and traffickers seeking to take advantage of such vulnerable groups.

"In order to address these trends, IOM Egypt supports the Government of Egypt to build a whole-of-government approach to fair and protection-oriented migration management policies and practices," it said.

 “I find it crucial to look at best ways for jointly ensuring that prosecution and protection are two aspects strictly interlinked,” Laurent de Boeck, chief of the IOM ission in Egypt, said.

The trainings cam in line with international and national legal frameworks including the Egyptian Counter Trafficking Law 64/2010 as well as Counter Smuggling Law 82/2016.

The trainings have also included sessions on financial investigation, evidence collection, victim, and witness protection safeguard among other areas.

Throughout the trainings, the prosecutors were also given the chance to discuss practical case studies and best practices from national and international contexts.