Much of the world’s attention is now focused on ways to solve the refugee crisis, Europe at the epicentre of the drama as each day brings harrowing images to our attention.

In the wake of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi washing up on a Turkish beach empathy has increased significantly, one Egyptian tycoon even offering to buy two islands for the refugees themselves.

The thing is many lofty promises were thrown around and Naguib Sawiris’ voice was just one amongst many. Now it appears that he wasn’t just paying lip service to the cause, the Egyptian billionaire apparently in talks to buy two private Greek islands. The Telegraph reports:

A statement from Mr Sawiris’ company on Monday said he had “identified two privately owned Greek islands that constitute a good opportunity for the project.

“We have corresponded with the owners and expressed our interest to go into negotiation with them,” it said.

The tycoon said he had been approached by the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR to cooperate on the project, which he estimates would require $100 million (90 million euros) to get off the ground.