Minister of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs Nabila Makram said that Egyptian expats do not hesitate to respond to homeland calls concerning the initiatives launched by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
In an interview with MENA Board Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Ali Hassan, Makram said that the Egyptian expats feel the honest and serious will of the political leadership to accomplish development and improve the living conditions of citizens in villages and countryside.
When President Sisi speaks to the people of Egypt, he sends messages that touch the hearts of Egyptians, not only at home, but also abroad, she said, referring in this regard to Sisi speech at Cairo Stadium in July about the launch of the first conference of the national project “A Decent Life” for the development of the Egyptian countryside.
Sisi necessitated the importance of linking the Egyptian expatriates with their homeland via involving them in current development projects implemented across the nation.
Makram thanked the Egyptian expats who donated during the conference of Egyptian entities abroad for the implementation of “Decent Life” initiative and those who are ready to participate in this important national initiative.
She also pointed out to the young students studying abroad who are participating in “Decent Life” initiative through field work until they return to their universities which were closed because of coronavirus.
Makram said she will launch, in cooperation with Planning Minister Hala el Saeed, “Model Village in Fayyoum” initiative, adding that she contacted Fayyoum Governor Ahmed el Ansari and an Egyptian investor in Kuwait who wants to transform one of Fayyoum villages to a model village.
Another Egyptian investor in the UAE is interested in contributing to developing a village in Sohag, she said.
Makram asserted that the volume of the contributions of the Egyptian expatriates in the development efforts are very big, adding that their efforts are divided into promoting for development projects at home and supporting them whether spiritually, financially and logistically.
The ministry is promoting for all national projects that are launched by the state and is keen on organizing visits to Egyptian expatriates to stand on the size of accomplishments being realized at home to foil rumors and false reports that are promoted broad questioning development efforts exerted by the State, she said.
She said the second conference for Egyptian entities abroad, which was organized by the Ministry of Emigration, demonstrated Egyptians expatriates’ strong desire to participate in “Decent Life” initiative, referring to the official platform on social media, which is scheduled to be launched on September 25 through the Zoom application under the auspices of Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli to support this presidential initiative in the United States of America and Canada.
During the conference of the Egyptian entities abroad, the ministry was keen on organizing field visits for the participants to Qalubiya governorate to stand on the achievements done in the projects of sanitation, health centers, schools and supplying natural gas to households in addition to other projects, Makram said.
Makram pointed to “Speak Arabic” festival organized by the ministry on the sidelines of the conference with the participation of the children living abroad.
On involving the youth in the file of sustainable development in Egypt, Makram said we have two types of youths abroad; the young people of the second and third generations and those who are studying abroad under the umbrella of the Emigration Ministry.
After they finish their education in universities abroad, they will be trained in the Egyptian ministries and bodies concerned to benefit the Egyptian state, especially as they are ready to help the state in the development efforts, the minister added.
Makram pointed out to the major interest the political leadership attaches to higher education and the Egyptian universities, saying Egypt now has many international universities like Al Galala, Al Alamein and New Mansoura universities.
On “Egypt’s voice in Africa” initiative, Makram asserted that the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Emigration align with the directives of the Egyptian state and the vision of the political leadership which pays great attention to Africa.
This encouraged the ministry to take more care of the Egyptian communities in the African continent as this help us know more information on what the African investor exactly needs, she said.
She said she will propose to Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli to start organizing important visits to African countries to stand on the needs of the Egyptian communities in the African continent.
On the 4th edition of the presidential initiative of “Reviving Roots” that target Egyptian, Cypriot and Greek youth, Makram said this edition runs in line with the interest of the political leadership in youths not only by empowering them but also via involving them in decision making process.
On the latest preparations for holding the 5th edition of “Egypt can” conference, Makram said the ministry is getting ready to hold “Egypt can by industry” under the auspices of President Sisi after it was postponed because of coronavirus.
There were preparatory dialogue sessions for “Egypt can by industry” conference that tackled industrial funding, car industries, spinning and weaving, technology and other major industrial fields, she added.
As for the latest efforts regarding the file of illegal immigration and the presidential initiative “Life Saving Boats”, Makram asserted the file has been rendered a big success since President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has announced no illegal immigration boat will go out of the Egyptian soil. That reflects the success of the Egyptian state with all its institutions, she further said.
President Sisi wanted to maintain this success and launched the “Life Saving Boats” initiative in 2019 and assigned the ministry to implement it.
The presidential initiative represents a new notion for combating illegal immigration, she said.
Makram added that the initiative calls for providing alternative chances for illegal immigrants or just helping them to legally immigrate given the fact that it offers to the immigrants training courses on qualification and awareness.
She noted that ministry’s officials embarked on field tours of governorates that are further exporting illegal immigration and talked with civil society organizations that work for training the youth who want to travel abroad.
Training and awareness programs are under way to prepare trained and skilled workers, she said, adding that immediately after tapping EU markets, Egypt is now having trained workers who are able to meet needs of the EU labor market.
Speaking about the ministry’s efforts to reach out to Egyptians living abroad in the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic, Makram said her ministry was keen to hold dialogue sessions with doctors abroad to capitalize on their experiments and ideas on how different world countries have been handling coronavirus.
She, meanwhile, urged all Egyptians abroad to stick to precautionary measures set by host countries to protect against Covid-19.
Makram said she has been communicating with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli who ordered to vaccinate Egyptian workers who will travel abroad as per conditions of vaccination in each country.
Source: State Information Service Egypt