As part of her push to limit migrant flows to Europe through North Africa, German Chancellor Angela Merkel landed in Egypt on Thursday for a meeting with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

With Germany's September election fast approaching, and the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) still likely to enter parliament, Merkel is facing ever-growing pressure at home to reduce the number of asylum-seekers coming to Germany. Since 2015, the country has taken in more than 1 million migrants.

Election pressure

Public fears in Germany have been heightened as a result of several jihadi attacks last year, especially the deadly truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market in December, which was attributed to Tunisian immigrant Anis Amri.

A year earlier, mass sexual assaults against women by large groups of mostly North African men in the western city of Cologne also fueled concerns.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Fleeing war and poverty In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Seeking refuge over the border Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? A long journey on foot In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the "Balkan route". The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Desperate sea crossings Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies - by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Pressure on the borders Countries along the EU's external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Closing the open door Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? Striking a deal with Turkey In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey's potential accession to the EU.

How did Europe's refugee crisis start? No end in sight With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise. Author: Rachel Stewart



Stabilization of Libya

One of the main gateways for African migrants heading for the 28-member EU bloc has been through war-torn Libya, which, since the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, has lacked a national government.

In response to the large number of people still making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea, Merkel's government has already urged the Maghreb states and Egypt to step up border controls and speed up repatriations of rejected asylum-seekers.

Speaking in her latest weekly podcast, Merkel said that "without a political stabilization of Libya, we won't be able to stop the human traffickers operating out of Libya who are responsible for, by far, the most arrivals in Italy.

"Egypt, as a regional institution, as a regional power, plays a major role here, as do Algeria and Tunisia," the chancellor added.

Human rights concerns

Merkel's two-day trip to Egypt and Tunisia comes as part of a larger diplomatic push by the chancellor, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

However, negotiations with the North African countries over immigration have been largely clouded by human rights concerns.

Judith Sunderland, the Europe and Central Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said, "Ensuring safe and swift returns of Tunisians and Egyptians who are not in need of protection is legitimate, as long as the procedures are fair."

Watch video 02:00 Share #MsgToMerkel: Mouhamed from Niger Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1JoEi #MsgToMerkel: Mouhamed from Niger

"It's another thing entirely to pursue dodgy deals that could trap asylum-seekers and migrants from elsewhere in countries like Tunisia and Egypt that cannot guarantee decent treatment or meaningful access to asylum," she added.

Fears for Coptic Christians

Meanwhile, the bishop of the Coptic-Orthodox Church in Germany, Anba Damian, urged the chancellor to address the situation of the

Christian minority in Egypt.

"The Coptic Christians expect more rights and more protection, "Damian said, adding that they need "equal liberties like their Muslim fellow citizens."

In Cairo on December 11, 25 people were killed and almost 50 others injured in one of the most severe attacks on Coptic Christians. The suicide attack, which occurred in a church, was claimed by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) militant group.

Following Thursday's visit to Egypt, Merkel is due to end her two-day visit with talks on Friday with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

ksb/sms (AFP, AP)