Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris offered to buy an island from Greece and develop it to host hundreds of thousands of people who leave Syria to save themselves.

The tycoon announced his idea on Twitter by saying: “Greece or Italy sell me an island, I’ll call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs for them building their new country”.

Sawiris said in a television interview that he would approach the governments of Greece and Italy about his plan.

He also stated an island of Greece or Italy could cost between $10million and $100million, but added the “main thing is investment in infrastructure”. There would be “temporary shelters to house the people, then you start employing the people to build housing, schools, universities, hospitals”.

The billionaire admitted that this idea would face challenges, including the difficulty of persuading Greece or Italy to sell an island. But those who took shelter would be treated as “human beings”. “The way they are being treated now, they are being treated like cattle”, he commented.