Egyptians stand on the shore as they wait for the recovery of bodies, during a search operation after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Mediterranean, along the shore in the Egyptian port city of Rosetta on September 22, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)
by Mahmoud Fouly, Ahmed Shafiq
CAIRO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has become a more common launching point for illegal immigration through its Mediterranean Sea shores to Europe after Libya and Turkey lost their importance for smugglers in favor of the most populous Arab country, said experts of Egyptian and Middle East affairs.
While the world leaders are gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York to seek solutions for refugee and immigration problems, news splashed on an immigration boat carrying about 600 people which capsized off Egypt's northern coast Wednesday killing at least 51.
"The refugee-immigration portfolio between the EU and Turkey indicates how illegal immigration and human trafficking received a heavy blow in Turkey. The ongoing civil war and the expansion of the Islamic State (IS) made Libya unappealing for smugglers and even immigrants," said Fadi Elhusseini, researcher and expert in Middle East affairs.
The expert continued that the ongoing cooperation between Italy and Libya on fighting illegal immigration that was crowned in the counter-illegal immigration agreement earlier this month increased the challenges in the illegal industry in Libya.
"Therefore, Egypt became an appealing destination for smugglers and refugees as a reasonable alternative for its long coastline and being relatively stable, near Europe (mainly Italy, Greece and Cyprus) and open to African and Arab nations," Elhusseini said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a report in June that more than 10,000 people have died in attempts to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe since 2014.
Elhusseini said that supporting Egypt in facing the dilemma of illegal immigration becomes a "must" and fighting the emergence of other refugee-exporting points should become a priority.
He stressed that the slower the international community deals with this dilemma, the more innocents will lose their lives seeking better future through illegal means.
Illegal immigration via Egyptian Mediterranean Sea shores rose over the past few years in attempts to reach Europe and flee difficult economic conditions in the financially-struggling Arab country, where unemployment rate hit 12.5 percent, according to official reports.
Egypt saw two uprisings that ousted two heads of the state over the past five years, which led to economic recession with increasing budget deficit, declining foreign investments, lowering foreign currency reserves and deteriorating tourism.
"The capsized vessel reflects the recent economic recession in Egypt that pushed hundreds of youths to risk their lives to flee the difficult conditions," said Mohamed Shehata, head of the Egyptian Transport Association.
"Europe should support Egypt and other Middle Eastern states to limit the influx of illegal immigrants who would cause trouble in European states," he said.
Shehata warned that the economic suffering of Egyptians may lead the country to become a main source of illegal immigration to the West, calling on the Egyptian government to announce scheduled programs to resolve the issues and "give people hope to continue working inside their country."
The Egyptian military has recurrently announced foiling illegal immigration attempts by mostly Egyptians via the Mediterranean to Europe and mostly Africans via the Sinai Peninsula to Israel.
On Wednesday, the military official spokesman said that besides rescuing 163 people from the capsized boat, the border guards foiled another illegal attempt by seizing a boat carrying 294 immigrants north of El Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea, some 300 km from the Egyptian capital Cairo.
A day later, the Egyptian authorities arrested four members of the capsized boat crew over human trafficking charges, while a senior official announced that an anti-illegal immigration bill has been presented by the government to the parliament for approval.
"Egypt has to set a program for fighting illegal immigration including a deterrent punishment for whomever proved to be involved in the crime," the Egyptian Transport Association chief added.
