By Eva Namugabi in Cairo.
As the world battle with terrorism threats where the African continent is not excluded the Egyptian State Minister for Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Dr. Nabilah Shahid said it important to come up with regulations on illegal emigrants.
She said the exodus of migrant workers to the Middle East and other parts of the world is a key factor fueling terrorism on the Africa continent.
Dr Nabilah Shahid told the Workers Eye that with such laws and policies in place countries can now implement them in engaging illegal migrants using different forums.
She said this would be aimed at restoring peace with them, adding that a number of people are depressed. “If they are not helped to overcome the challenges they could easily be diverted into terrorism acts and other subversive activities,” she said..
Dr Nabilah Shahid was sharing the Egyptian experience since the inception of the emigration department with journalists from different African countries during their three weeks training in Cairo.
She noted that the Ministry had played a big role in trying to reduce on the number of illegal emigrates especially through engaging them and help them out.
The Egyptian trainer indicated that it is not a simple task because, its impact cannot be underestimated adding that both adults and young people or even children that are illegal emigrants need to be given focus in order to have a better solution to the problem.
The Head of Administrative control Authority that fights corruption in Egypt, General Hisham Zaaluk highlighted on the issue of illegal emigrants and human trafficking which are on the increase.” Illegal emigrants are on increase on the African continent hence calling on countries to cooperate in order combat the trend,” he said.
General Hisham stressed the need for journalists to investigate on the matter and also create awareness on all issues.
Closing the training in a colorful certificates awarding ceremony the Egyptian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in charge of African Affairs Ambassador Maher El-Adawy , called on the participants to be agents for positive change.
He said they have been equipped with knowledge on different issues in politics, economy, culture and other social aspects aimed at developing and uniting Africa as a continent. ” The role of journalists in shaping the African agenda for development is of paramount importance” he said.
Mr Maher stressed the need for African journalists to develop their own narrative and stop relying on the biased western media which he said promotes a harmful hidden agenda.
” Stop relying on Western countries for funding and learn to sustain yourself by using your own money and resource.” he said..
The journalists’ training that lasted for 21 days with 25 participants from different Journalists’ unions and associations in Africa was funded by the Egyptian government through the Union of African Journalists (UAJ) aiming at empowering journalist to know their role in uniting Africa on its road map to development.
The President Union of African Journalists (UAJ) Mr Mahfouz Al Ansari challenged journalists on their role towards ending conflicts among African countries. “Many African countries are having conflicts among themselves which has kept the continent backward in all aspects,” he said.
Mr Mahfouz said the current trends has left the populations to suffer especially the youth who are the majority with no employment hence imploring journalists to play their role positively to cause change on increasing conflicts,unemployment,refugee influx and terrorism threats .
The Cairo training was organized by the Union of African journalists(UAJ) in con junction with the Egyptian Information Ministry and funded by the Egyptian government■
