Arab Finance: Egypt suffers from Brain drain Especially in some rare specializations such as information technology and some medical and engineering specializations, which leads to the depletion of human resources and emptying society of its energies and creativity.
Experts stressed in statements to Arab Finance the need for the state to provide adequate support to researchers and human competencies, to motivate them to remain inside the country to contribute to the economic growth and development of society at all levels.
Brain drain affects many services in Egypt
For his part, Dr. Ibrahim Awad, Director of the Center for Migration Studies at the American University in Cairo, said in exclusive statements to Arab Finance that brain drain is Brain drain High-quality and skilled people. It is also known as the migration of those holding university degrees, and the migration of minds means the migration of those who have knowledge and education and those who contribute to the development of society, although it is necessary to take into account the migration of some specializations of skilled workers in some specializations, as migration is a selective process, and in Egypt we have the migration of some specializations. In the fields of medicine and information technology.
Awad added that brain drain affects the provision of many services in Egypt, especially in areas that suffer from a deficit in some specializations, such as medicine and nursing. This is an undesirable effect, and therefore working conditions and wages must be improved.
Awad explained that there are some professions that are in demand outside Egypt, such as some rare specialties in the medical field, which may affect health services in the Egyptian countryside, pointing out that the economic conditions in Egypt may prompt a search for better working conditions in terms of wages, vacations, and other benefits. Especially with the high wages in the Gulf countries and Europe, which tempt many of these minds to obtain these opportunities.
Awad pointed out that there is a fear of meeting the needs of the external market for skilled minds at the expense of the internal market, stressing the need to pay attention to training and education to meet the requirements of the internal and external labor market, warning against leaving matters without setting a policy for that because that will have negative effects on development and meeting the needs of the internal market. .
The lack of opportunities and the decline in economic conditions are among the reasons for brain drain
For his part, Hani Suleiman, an expert in international relations and director of the Arab Center for Research and Studies, said that the issue… Brain drain An intertwined issue and a growing phenomenon in the countries of the Middle East, including Egypt, as a result of the scarcity of opportunities and the lack of sufficient appreciation for these minds. This is due to the decline in economic conditions, the lack of encouragement for researchers to develop their ideas, the decline in wages and financial returns for them, and the financial allocations available to important sectors such as doctors, engineers, and rare specializations in some sectors. Others have external demand.
Suleiman added that researchers and innovators must be supported so that these creative minds do not migrate abroad and so that these minds do not feel marginalized, with the need to eliminate obstructive and bureaucratic procedures and remove the restrictions that hinder them, such as procedures for obtaining patents, for example. Also, one of the reasons for the brain drain is the offers made from abroad to attract these minds, which empties society of its energies. We have noticed the migration of many medical competencies in rare specialties during the Corona pandemic, which affected the medical sector in Egypt, as many Egyptian doctors, nurses, and nurses immigrated to the Gulf and some… European countries.
Suleiman stressed the need to support budgets allocated for scientific research, encourage researchers to develop their ideas, especially in new fields such as artificial intelligence and chip science, and provide and create the appropriate environment for creativity and manufacturing, noting that the migration of these minds wastes billions of dollars for the state and deprives society of its creators in return. The developed country benefits from these skilled models.
Suleiman called for the need to develop a national strategy to support researchers and thinkers to stop the flow of migration abroad, while setting a strong budget for scientific research, as the budget allocated for this purpose is still very small, while supporting industry and establishing an economic system that encourages creativity, innovation and development.
Policies must be put in place to ensure an attractive environment for young minds and talents
For her part, Rabha Seif Allam, an expert in immigration affairs at the Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Al-Ahram, said that the issue of brain drain is one of the most prominent development problems in southern countries such as Egypt, given the decreasing rates of population growth in the northern countries, where the demand for immigrants with skills and minds is the basic policy. For these countries, they therefore set conditions and incentives to attract the best, most skilled, and best-educated immigrants. For example, if a cluster occurs that attracts certain skills, developing countries lose these competencies in the targeted sectors.
Allam explained that it is important for countries in the South, such as Egypt, to anticipate any shortage that affects certain sectors and threatens the existence of basic competencies in them, so that they develop policies that guarantee an attractive environment that allows the continuation of young minds and competencies in these countries, and this is a very big challenge so that none of the vital sectors in these countries are disrupted. There is another challenge related to establishing partnerships with diaspora groups abroad to ensure a continuous connection with the original country. This ensures a degree of interconnection that provides opportunities for cash transfers of income into the country, and also ensures a degree of communication and exchange of experiences and opportunities. And the transfer of knowledge from the countries of the North to the countries of the South through diaspora groups and immigrants.
The returns of Egyptians abroad are not commensurate with the cost of investing in these minds
For her part, Dr. Yaman Al-Hamaki, former head of the Department of Economics at Ain Shams University, said that the only advantage of the migration of migrant minds is the remittances of Egyptians abroad, which amount to about 30 billion dollars, but at the same time we will find that these returns are not commensurate with the cost on these minds that the state has invested in their education and training. And develop their capabilities.
Al-Hamaki added that the phenomenon of the migration of immigrant minds is a very painful phenomenon, especially since those who benefit from the capabilities and qualifications of our children, whose education and skills we have invested in, are other countries, especially in light of a bad and unattractive climate for them, and the provision of attractive opportunities for them to stay and work within the country.
Al-Hamaki explained that our institutional system does not make good use of skilled human resources, which leads to skilled people finding the climate in Egypt not positive, and thus their reaction is to migrate to work abroad as a result of the demand for them, as there is a clear polarization of these competencies.
Al-Hamaki pointed out that the absence of these competencies in Egypt affects the competitiveness of Egyptian products to raise the efficiency of Egyptian exports and products, and this is one of the challenges facing the competitiveness of our products abroad, especially in the field of technology to raise the quality of Egyptian goods and products, because technology is transferred through these skilled minds, and the state should Breaking this cycle by setting performance indicators and developing a system of incentives for human resources. For example, China and Korea have achieved progress by raising the efficiency of government institutions and setting incentives to attract competencies that have studied abroad to transfer the technology, science, and experience they acquired abroad to Egypt.
A strategy must be developed to reduce the phenomenon of brain drain
For his part, Dr. Ayman Zohri, President and Founder of the Egyptian Society for Migration Studies, said that most of Egyptians’ remittances abroad are not invested in productive sectors and that most of them are exploited in consumer behaviors, pointing out that these remittances have increased recently as a result of the stability of the exchange rate in the Egyptian market and the elimination of the parallel market for the dollar, which is what This money was allowed to increase and flow through the state's official banks, especially after the recent floatation of the Egyptian pound.
Zuhri explained that the skilled hands of immigrating minds outside the country contribute greatly to pumping more of this money, but at the same time it leads to a deficit in some specializations and sectors in Egypt, which requires developing a strategy to put an end to this phenomenon, as well as pumping more investments in education and training. And scientific research.
Zuhri pointed out that there is a global demand for some specializations in the fields of technology, medicine, nursing, and some engineering specializations, which represents an opportunity for these competencies, especially in light of the current economic conditions, which do not provide them with the advantages of opportunities to work abroad as a result of the low wages in Egypt for these specializations.
The medical sector is one of the most prominent sectors witnessing the migration of doctors and nurses, as President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi commented earlier on the recent migration of many doctors from Egypt, explaining that the salaries they receive in Egypt “do not suit them,” directing at the same time the necessity of Opening the door to accepting a larger number of medical college students in Egyptian universities to compensate for the deficit.
Since last March, the Egyptian government has begun implementing the social protection package announced by Sisi. For doctors, members of the medical professions and nursing bodies, which included allocating 4.5 billion pounds to approve an additional increase for members of the medical professions and nursing bodies, ranging from 250 to 300 pounds in risk allowance for medical professions, and an increase of nearly 100% in night and night stay allowance.
The presidential directives also included allocating 1.6 billion pounds to approve an additional increase for faculty members and their assistants in universities, institutes, and research centers, in addition to 6 billion pounds to appoint 120,000 members of the medical profession, teachers, and workers in other administrative agencies, and allocating 15 billion pounds additional increases for doctors, nurses, teachers, and faculty members. Teaching in universities.
The Minister of Health, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, said earlier, “Educating one doctor costs the state between 55,000 and 70,000 pounds,” adding: “In the end, we are human beings, and the doctor emigrates when he has a better opportunity.”
Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the state expanded the opening of medical colleges during the last period, explaining that approximately 9 new medical colleges were established during the past years.
A report issued by the British workforce authorities in 2022 stated that Egypt ranked third among the countries from which doctors most migrate to Britain.
The report indicated that the number of Egyptian doctors immigrating to Britain increased by 200% between 2017 and 2021.
Remittances from Egyptians working abroad increased for the sixth month in a row last August to record $2.6 billion, an annual increase of 65.5%, bringing the total remittances to $18.1 billion during the period from January to August, with an annual growth rate of 36.4%, according to an official statement from the Central Bank.
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