UK Foreign Secretary Visits IOM in Egypt, Highlights Cairo’s Role in Regional Stability

UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Egypt welcomed Yvette Cooper, the UK Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development, on Wednesday. She was accompanied by Mark Bryson-Richardson, the UK Ambassador to Egypt, along with a delegation from the British government and embassy.

During her visit, the delegation engaged directly with migrants and members of host communities supported by the North Africa Migration and Development (NAMAD) project, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the project’s outcomes, which include humanitarian assistance and skill development for migrants and Egyptians to facilitate their integration into local labor markets while enhancing the resilience of both migrants and host communities.

Ambassador Bryson-Richardson expressed pride in the UK’s close partnership with Egypt and IOM to support refugees, migrants, and host communities across the country. He stated, “Through projects like NAMAD, we contribute to expanding access to livelihoods, essential services, and protection while building resilience and supporting Egypt’s pivotal role in responding to regional displacement.”.

He further emphasized that “this visit highlights the tangible impact of this partnership on people’s lives by helping communities rebuild, fostering stability, and creating future opportunities.”.

Carlos Oliver Cruz, Head of IOM’s Mission in Egypt, noted that “this visit underscores the strength of the partnership between IOM and the UK in developing proactive responses to migration challenges, including supporting host communities in Egypt.”.

He added that “through the UK-funded NAMAD project, we are working together to broaden access to protection, healthcare, skills development, and livelihood opportunities while fostering social cohesion. IOM expresses deep gratitude to the UK government for its ongoing support for solutions that combine humanitarian aid with long-term resilience building to ensure migrants receive assistance in a dignified and sustainable manner.”.

The visit reaffirmed both IOM’s and the UK’s commitment to addressing the root causes of irregular migration and providing practical solutions that combine protection with resilience-building and enhance migration governance while highlighting Egypt’s role as a key partner in regional stability.

This partnership demonstrates how targeted investments can achieve humanitarian support while enhancing resilience and inclusion within the country. It also emphasized the importance of ongoing engagement with national authorities to promote coordinated and scalable responses aligned with shared strategic priorities.