Ministry of Emigration and WFP launch “Bedaya Digital” initiative

CAIRO – The Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs (MOEEA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) launched today the e-learning platform, ‘Bedaya Digital,’ under the presidential initiative ‘Life-Saving Boats” that aims at raising awareness on the dangers of illegal immigration. 

The newly launched platform provides vocational and skills-building trainings for Egyptian youth and returning migrant Egyptian workers who have recently lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trainings will be provided by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, a key partner of WFP and of this joint initiative.

This platform reduces the risks of irregular migration by promoting job opportunities for youth and returning migrants through skills development linking them with services provided by the Government of Egypt, WFP and the private sector.

Users of the platform will have access to vocational training to increase their employability as well as professional e-recruitment services with private sector partners. They will also be able to use the platform to apply for loans for small and medium-sized enterprises and other income-generating projects to improve their incomes and living conditions.

“WFP is very proud to collaborate with the MOEAA to complement the Egyptian Government’s proactive efforts to mitigate the negative impact COVID-19 pandemic had on youth who have been pushed into unemployment or illegal migration,” said WFP Representative and Country Director Menghestab Haile. “We aim to significantly decrease the number of youth at risk of illegal migration through this one-stop shop that will help bridge the gap between youth’s skillsets and market demands.” 

WFP and the MOEAA have been joining efforts to boost the achievement of the Ministry's Sustainable Development Strategy within the framework of "Egypt's Vision 2030" and through the creation of community champions at village levels to raise awareness on the risks of irregular migration and its safe alternatives.

“The MOEAA has always the pleasure to collaborate with WFP in regard to several fields and initiatives,” said Minister of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram. “We are keen on consolidating our efforts together to come up with positive and perfect results within the framework of the ministry’s Sustainable Development Strategy, especially in the field of combating illegal immigration and within the global repercussions of the Covid-19 outbreak”.

In coordination with the Ministry of Education, due to COVID 19, this activity continues through remote online training reaching more teachers and communities.

It is thanks to partnerships like these, with government, donors and non-governmental organizations that WFP has been able to deliver needed assistance to the most vulnerable.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.  We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.