Written by: Badr Ahmed

Ambassador Khaled Aref chaired the opening session of the regional training course organized by the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in Africa (CCCPA) in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, from June 15 to 19, 2026, under the title "Towards an Integrated Approach: Preventing Trafficking in Persons and Combating Smuggling of Migrants in West Africa," with the support of the Dutch government.

Ambassador Khaled Aref reviews the Egyptian legislative and institutional framework for combating human trafficking.

The opening session was attended by Marie-Angelique Diouf, Senegal's Minister of Family and Social Solidarity, and Carmen Hagenares, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Senegal, along with representatives from the Ministries of the Interior, Defense, and Justice, as well as several ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Senegal. Thirty-eight trainees, including government officials and experts from West and Central African countries, such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, and Mauritania, are participating in the training course.

During his speech, Ambassador Khaled Aref reviewed the Egyptian experience in confronting human trafficking crimes and combating migrant smuggling, stressing that Egypt has adopted an integrated approach based on clear legal and institutional foundations to confront these cross-border phenomena.

He explained that the Egyptian state has adopted an advanced legislative framework that includes two separate laws to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, in addition to establishing joint coordination mechanisms between the various concerned national bodies, in order to enhance the effectiveness of national efforts and achieve integration between the competent institutions.

He pointed out that Egypt has given special attention to protecting victims by establishing a fund dedicated to supporting them and providing shelter, health care and legal assistance, as well as establishing reception and rehabilitation centers for victims, which contributes to their reintegration into society and ensures that they receive the necessary protection.

The ambassador stressed the importance of continued coordination between the relevant ministries and institutions to address these crimes, ensuring an effective and sustainable response to the challenges related to irregular migration and human trafficking.

He explained that the training course aims to enhance regional capabilities in the areas of preventing and combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling, developing mechanisms for identifying and protecting victims, raising the efficiency of investigations and prosecutions, in addition to strengthening judicial cooperation between the countries of the region and making use of modern digital tools, while taking into account the gender dimension in the various stages of responding to and dealing with these issues.