Egypt, Switzerland Hold Migration Consultations
Talks follow a November 2025 declaration of intent on bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Immigration
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Egyptian and Swiss delegations held migration consultations at Egypt's Foreign Ministry on Thursday, the first such round since the two countries signed a declaration of intent in November 2025. Discussions covered expanding legal migration channels, creating job opportunities and addressing irregular migration.
Why it matters
The talks reflect a bilateral approach to migration governance that pairs legal pathways with efforts to curb irregular movement and share the burden of hosting refugees. Both sides agreed to turn political commitments into concrete steps in the coming period.
The round was the first formal consultation since the November 2025 declaration of intent, with no vote counts or funding amounts reported. Specific job programs, legal migration quotas and implementation dates remain undisclosed.
The players
Egyptian Foreign Ministry
Egypt's ministry responsible for the country's foreign relations, which hosted the consultations in Cairo.
Swiss State Secretariat for Migration
The Swiss federal agency responsible for asylum, migration and integration policy, whose delegation led the Swiss side.
The details
The Egyptian side was led by Nevine El-Husseiny, assistant foreign minister for migration, and included officials from the national committees on illegal migration and refugee affairs as well as the education and labour ministries. The Swiss delegation was led by Hendrik Krauskopf of the State Secretariat for Migration and included Monica Schmutz Kirgöz of the Swiss Foreign Ministry's Middle East and North Africa division.
Timeline
November 2025: Egypt and Switzerland sign a declaration of intent on bilateral cooperation.
Thursday, November 12, 2026: Migration consultations are held at Egypt's Foreign Ministry.
Need to Know
The talks extend Switzerland's pattern of structured bilateral migration partnerships with origin and transit countries, which the State Secretariat for Migration has pursued through its international cooperation work.
The consultations point toward possible new legal migration channels and job programs, but no specific pathways or eligibility rules have been announced. Readers tracking migration policy should watch for the concrete steps both governments said they would pursue.
The takeaway
Bilateral migration talks increasingly pair legal pathways with measures against irregular movement, and the practical test is whether declared commitments become concrete programs. Tracking follow-up announcements from both foreign ministries will show whether the November 2025 intent turns into action.
Further reading
For broader context on how governments structure cross-border migration policy, see Immigration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by جريدة الأهرام.
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