Between the Dream of Travel and the Danger of Drowning: Egypt’s Fight Against Illegal Migration

Despite ongoing government efforts to combat illegal migration, the phenomenon remains both a humanitarian and security challenge. For many young people, the dream of a better life abroad is often exploited by smugglers who offer false promises, turning hope into a dangerous journey that can end in detention, exploitation, or death.

Former Minister of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs Soha El-Gendy said the Egyptian state has adopted a comprehensive strategy in recent years to confront irregular migration. She explained that the strategy focuses on raising awareness among young people in governorates most affected by the phenomenon, while also providing training programs, skills development, and safe legal alternatives to migration.

El-Gendy said studies conducted by relevant authorities identified 14 governorates, including Dakahlia, Menoufia, and Beheira, as among the areas most vulnerable to irregular migration. This pushed the state to launch awareness campaigns and training programs in cooperation with several government institutions and national councils, with the aim of correcting misconceptions about illegal migration.

As part of efforts to provide legitimate alternatives, El-Gendy pointed to the Egyptian-German Training Center for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration. She said the center aims to prepare young Egyptians for the German labor market through specialized training programs and language courses, offering them legal and safe opportunities for travel and employment through official contracts and suitable salaries.

El-Gendy added that the success of this model has encouraged several European countries to study similar initiatives, which could help open legal pathways for Egyptian workers instead of leaving young people vulnerable to illegal routes and human smuggling networks.

On the security side, Major General Yasser Nawar said the state relies on an integrated system to secure Egypt’s borders and coastlines. He explained that this includes intensifying patrols by the Border Guard and the Navy, using modern radar systems to monitor coastal areas and territorial waters, and tightening control over access points to beaches.

Nawar said confronting illegal migration also requires targeting the brokers and intermediaries involved in smuggling operations, enforcing strict legislation, and strengthening international cooperation between governments to combat cross-border migration networks.

He added that human trafficking gangs increasingly rely on modern technology to lure victims, using social media platforms, persuasive online messages, encrypted communication tools, and forged documents to evade security forces.

According to Nawar, the size of Egypt’s coastlines, the diversity of the terrain, and harsh climatic conditions, including bays, rocky areas, and sea storms, create additional challenges for monitoring and enforcement efforts.

From the perspective of migrants themselves, Saeed Mohammed, a young man who experienced the journey, said the reality is very different from the image promoted by smugglers. He explained that migrants may face detention and deportation upon arrival, or they may be forced to live in hiding out of fear of arrest.

Mohammed added that finding legal work without residency or official documents is extremely difficult. Many undocumented migrants, he said, end up working informally in harsh conditions while trying to regularize their legal status, if they are able to do so at all.