Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, inaugurated the seventh edition of the Egyptians Abroad Conference, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the theme, “No Matter How Far We Go, Egypt Brings Us Together.” The two-day event focuses on strengthening engagement with Egyptian communities overseas and expanding the services and initiatives available to them.
The opening session featured a recorded address by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who reaffirmed the state’s commitment to Egyptians living abroad, describing them as an integral part of the nation and key partners in Egypt’s development journey. He stressed the government’s determination to continue enhancing policies, initiatives, and services for Egyptians overseas to strengthen their ties with their homeland and harness their expertise and capabilities in support of Egypt’s comprehensive development efforts.
In his opening remarks, Abdelatty said supporting Egyptians abroad, protecting their rights and dignity, and providing them with every possible facilitation remain firmly established national priorities, implemented in line with the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and under the continuous follow-up of the Prime Minister.
He stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue developing services and initiatives for Egyptians overseas, noting that the ministry’s priorities are shaped by the recommendations of the annual conference as well as direct engagement with Egyptian communities abroad, in coordination with other ministries and relevant national institutions.
The minister reviewed the key achievements made over the past year in improving services for Egyptians abroad, including the expansion of digital consular services, reducing passport issuance times to less than two weeks, shortening the issuance period for digitised birth certificates to between three and five days, and increasing the number of authentication offices from 15 to around 40, including mobile offices.
He also announced the launch of the first phase of an interactive online platform for Egyptians abroad, designed to digitalise consular transactions and make consular services more accessible and efficient.
Abdelatty highlighted the ministry’s efforts to monitor the situation of Egyptians overseas amid ongoing regional developments. He said a round-the-clock crisis cell had been established to coordinate with Egypt’s diplomatic and consular missions in countries facing security developments and to respond immediately to emergencies involving Egyptian citizens, whether residents or visitors.
In addition, the ministry has organised virtual meetings with Egyptian communities abroad to hear their concerns directly, reflecting the state’s commitment to protecting Egyptian citizens and safeguarding their interests wherever they may be.
The minister also reviewed progress on a number of initiatives launched in cooperation with other government bodies, including Your Home in Egypt, Your Farm in Egypt, Open Your Account in Egypt, Your School in Egypt, Your Healthcare in Egypt, as well as the social protection umbrella for Egyptians abroad and the cultural salon for Egyptian expatriates. He confirmed that work is continuing to implement these initiatives and launch additional phases.
Abdelatty noted that this year’s conference features a new format, with specialised workshops and sessions covering investment, education, young Egyptians abroad, mental health, and other topics. The sessions are attended by ministers and senior officials and aim to produce practical recommendations that strengthen engagement with Egyptians overseas while maximising the contribution of their expertise and capabilities to Egypt’s development.
Concluding his remarks, the Foreign Minister reiterated that caring for Egyptians abroad is a national mission that the state is honoured to undertake. He stressed that maintaining close communication with Egyptian communities, listening to their concerns, and responding to their needs will remain among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ highest priorities.
He expressed hope that the conference discussions and workshops would produce recommendations that create further opportunities, practical solutions, and tangible benefits for Egyptians abroad while advancing Egypt’s broader development objectives.
