EU gives Egypt €80 million-worth grant for maritime border monitoring equipment

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The Refugees Platform in Egypt has criticized the lack of details on the European Union granting the Egyptian government €80 million to purchase maritime border monitoring equipment.

The rights group said that there is a lack of details about the nature of the equipment and how will use it will use, noting that could use it could use to violate the rights of migrants and refugees.

The European Union has provided funding to strengthen migration management in Egypt, which has contributed to tightening restrictions on irregular migration. However, the Refugees Platform in Egypt said that the figures announced by the Egyptian government regarding irregular migration are inaccurate.

The human rights group called on the European Commission to declare the funding schedule, the nature of the equipment referred to in the agreement, and the expected plan for its use, calling for human rights to be taken into account. It criticized the European Union’s demand for Egypt to cooperate with Libya to combat irregular migration due to what it considered violations of the rights of migrants and refugees by the two countries. It also demanded the cessation of any financial and military support that contributes to further violation of the rights of migrants and threatens human rights defenders.

It finally called on the Egyptian government to work for access to justice for migrants and refugees who were victims of violations.