Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday 4/8/2024 that digitizing all Egyptian consular services is a priority to shorten the time needed to finalize them.
This came during the opening session of the fifth edition of the Egyptians Abroad Conference, which kicked off Sunday in Cairo and will last for two days.
Minister Abdelatty said it is unreasonable that renewing a passport or national identity card for Egyptians abroad takes three months, calling on lawmakers to work on passing legislative amendments to achieve this goal and provide the necessary funds for the digitization process.
‘There is significant room for improving and developing the performance of services for Egyptians abroad. This conference represents an opportunity for discussion, to provide insights into the current situation in your homeland, Egypt, and explore ways to help you support this effort,’ the minister added during his speech.
Moreover, he reiterated the state’s keen
ness to interact with Egyptian expatriates since he was appointed, confirming Cairo’s determination to provide them with all the necessary guarantees and privileges to invest in their country.
Abdelatty also revealed that emergency numbers have been allocated to operate 24/7 to receive and address the concerns and issues of Egyptians living abroad promptly and directly.
In addition, the minister affirmed that merging the Ministry of Emigration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portfolios manifests the state’s keenness to take care of Egyptians abroad and provide them with all necessary support.
‘The decision aims to enhance the system and mechanisms for communication with Egyptian communities abroad, improve the quality of services provided to them with speed and efficiency, and make the most of the role of Egypt’s diplomatic and consular missions in implementing state policy on interacting with these communities, protecting their interests, and connecting them to their homeland,’ he explained.
Furtherm
ore, Abdelatty stressed that economic development, attracting investments, and opening new markets for Egypt abroad are also among the foreign ministry’s priorities.
‘The current approach has opened more doors for foreign investments; therefore, your contribution to this area is crucial,’ he emphasized. Egypt invites you to participate in the development process to ensure that benefits extend to Egyptians abroad and the Egyptian state, Abdelatty added.
According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), Egyptian expatriates reached 11.09 million by the end of 2023.
Meanwhile, Egypt held the sixth position among the world’s remittance recipient countries in 2023, CAPMAS said. Remittances are Egypt’s primary source of foreign currency, surpassing even the Suez Canal and tourism revenues. In FY2022/2023, remittances tumbled 30.8 percent to $22.1 billion, down from $31.9 billion in FY2021/2022.
Several ministers, lawmakers, media leaders, and representatives of the Egyptian commun
ities living abroad attended the launch of the fifth edition of the conference, where a wide range of topics covering all major social issues facing Egyptians abroad are being discussed.
The conference will feature four thematic sessions. The first, titled “Investment Opportunities and Prospects in Egypt,” will highlight the state’s initiatives to promote investment. The second, “Education, Training, and Qualification of Youth,” will focus on the efforts of the Ministry of Education, particularly through the Our Children Abroad administration, to address the educational needs of the children of Egyptians living abroad.
The third, “Services Provided to Egyptians Abroad,” will review the crucial role played by the foreign ministry and Egyptian diplomatic and consular missions in assisting Egyptian citizens living abroad. The fourth, “Facilities and Benefits for Egyptians Abroad,” will present several new benefits for Egyptians abroad.
Source: State Information Service Egypt