German Chancellor in Egypt to curb migrant flow

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday in Cairo.

Merkel is on tour in North Africa to discuss migration and development in the region.

Her regime has urged the North African states to step up border controls and speed up repatriations of migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

“Our first objective is to control and take measures to prevent the flow of migrants across Egypt as a country of passage or across its borders, we begin to work there in cooperation with Germany,” said Al-Sisi.

The European leader has been under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany ahead of the country’s elections in September.

Since 2015, Germany has taken in more than 1 million migrants.

“There are of course also the routes of smugglers who encourage illegal migration to Libya, and we have a common interest in doing so, and this is why we will continue to discuss possible collaboration. This means improving technical equipment, whether at the land borders or sea,” said Merkel.

Activists had called on Merkel to address alleged human rights abuses in Egypt.

“I have once again reiterated that for me the rule of law and the diversity of a civil society are very important for the development of a country,” she added.

Merkel is set to leave for Tunisia on Friday to meet Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

She is joined by a business delegation expected to expand trade and investment ties.