CAIRO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Antonio Vitorino praised on Saturday Egypt's role in combating illegal immigration.

Vitorino's remarks came during his meeting in Cairo with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement.

The number of illegal immigrants from Egypt to Europe during the past months was almost zero thanks to the effective measures taken by the Egyptian government, the IOM chief revealed.

For his part, Madbouly affirmed Egypt's interest in combating illegal immigration "because of its negative social, economic and legal repercussions."

The prime minister underlined the need to deal with illegal immigration with a comprehensive perspective.

The North African country is a favorable hub for illegal immigrants who are trying to make their way to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.

In October 2016, Egypt's parliament voted for a cabinet bill combating illegal immigration and human smuggling, under which smugglers face heavy financial and lengthy prison penalties. Enditem

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