# Italy-Egypt migration and economic cooperation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/italy-egypt-migration-and-economic-cooperation
> Updated: 2026-09-03T09:20:59.000Z. Sources: 25. Developments: 2.

Italy and Egypt are strengthening bilateral cooperation through migration management and economic integration. In late August 2026, Italy conducted a charter flight to repatriate 23 Egyptian citizens with criminal records, an operation coordinated with Egyptian authorities and Frontex. This repatriation utilized a bilateral agreement and included the first individual processed under the accelerated asylum and repatriation mechanism introduced by the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact.

Building on these efforts, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani led a high-level delegation to Cairo in early September 2026 to formalize a strategic partnership. A central component of this new agreement is the management of migration flows by increasing regular, legal entries while combating human trafficking. To meet Italian labor demands, the initiative provides Egyptian youth with professional training in strategic sectors, including mechatronics, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, energy, and life sciences. Currently, 10 active projects in Egypt involve over 1,100 workers.

The partnership also emphasizes deep economic integration aligned with the Mattei Plan for Africa. Italian exports to Egypt have risen by 17% over the last six months, and Italy has set an export target of 700 billion by the end of next year. A recent Business Forum in Cairo facilitated over a thousand bilateral meetings to foster investment in infrastructure, the green transition, and energy.

## Claims

- Italy and Egypt are signing an agreement to increase regular migration while decreasing irregular migration. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Regular migrants will undergo training to meet the labor needs of Italian companies. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The visit includes a Business Forum with hundreds of companies and over a thousand bilateral meetings. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Italian exports to Egypt have increased by 17% over the last six months. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Italy aims to reach 700 billion in exports by the end of next year. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Italian delegation to Cairo includes Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and Marina Calderone. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- There are currently 10 active projects in Egypt involving over 1,100 workers. (single source)
- Italy and Egypt are developing professional training paths in mechatronics, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, energy, and life sciences. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: Italy and Egypt sign migration and economic cooperation agreement

Italy and Egypt have announced an agreement to increase regular migration through professional training programs designed to meet Italian labor needs while reducing irregular migration and human trafficking.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-and-egypt-sign-migration-agreement-to-boost-regular-labor-flows

### 2026-08-28: Italy repatriates 23 Egyptian citizens to Cairo via charter flight

Italy repatriated 23 Egyptian citizens to Cairo via charter flight. The operation marks the first use of the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact's accelerated border procedure for an expelled individual.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-repatriates-23-egyptian-citizens-via-charter-flight

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Cite as: Italy-Egypt migration and economic cooperation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/italy-egypt-migration-and-economic-cooperation