国际英语资讯:Interview: Egypt on right path in fighting illegal immigration: Egyptian official_时事

国际英语资讯:Interview: Egypt on right path in fighting illegal immigration: Egyptian official

CAIRO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian official said that her country has successfully made a law to curb illegal immigration and human smuggling amid a hike of migrants illegally departing from the North African country to Europe.

"This law is the first of its kind in the Middle East," Secretary-General of the National Coordinating Committee on Preventing and Combating Illegal Migration (NCCPIM) Ambassador Naela Gabr told 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.

Illegal immigration via Egyptian Mediterranean 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.

"The law punishes people involved in smuggling migrants with prison sentences and financial fines. It does not punish illegal immigrants themselves," the official said.

In October, Egypt's parliament voted for a cabinet bill combating illegal immigration and human-smuggling. The 34-article bill stipulates a penalty of between 50,000 and 200,000 Egyptian pounds (1 U.S. dollar=19 Egyptian pounds) or a prison sentence to anyone who smuggles migrants, attempts to smuggle them, mediates in the smuggling process, or provide any services while aware of the crime.