According to a statement from the organizers, more than 20 countries are participating in the event, which also aims to facilitate international collaboration in criminal cases to prevent, suppress and prosecute these crimes and encourage the exchange of know-how.

The event is ongoing until next Thursday in the resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, located in the Sinai peninsula.

The conference was organized by the Egyptian National Coordination Committee for Struggle and Prevention of illegal migration and human trafficking, and also by the regional headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

In recent years, Africa and the Middle East have experienced a rapid increase in illegal immigration crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe via precarious boats.

The president of the Egyptian Unit for Fighting Financing of Terrorism and Money Laundering, Ahmed Saeed Khalil, warned that human trafficking and smuggling operations generate billions of dollars for illegal groups, and emphasized the need for greater coordination to conduct regular financial investigations into issues related to these crimes.

jrr/llp/lam/rob