The Egyptian government intends to audit the number of refugees and uncover the cost incurred on the state to care for them, with the Ministry of Interior calling on refugees on Egyptian soil to register and prove their residency (SIS, 2024). The article examines Egypt&rsquo;s policies for dealing with refugees as their numbers ballooned in recent years due to the number of armed conflicts on its borders.
The article illustrates the importance of registering refugees and seeks to uncover whether there is a plan to deal with them or accurate information about them. Furthermore, refugee statistics provide a somewhat distorted view since the Egyptian government figures include immigrants and refugees. Official data showed that refugees (including migrants) represent 8.9% of the total population in Egypt (SIS, 2024).
The article examines how countries with similar circumstances dealt with refugees and assesses the possibility and benefits of implementing the models used by other nations in Egypt.
<h3 dir="ltr">Refugee statistics around the world and in Egypt</h3>
The United Nations (UN) defines a refugee as a person who was forced to leave his country due to war, violence, or persecution, with the inability or fear of returning. The 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention states that it is &ldquo;a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted on grounds of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.&rdquo; Because of that fear, he or she cannot or does not want to seek the protection of that country or return to it. According to 2022 statistics, there are 35.3 million refugees and 5.4 million asylum seekers around the world, which are a fraction of the 110 million people who have been internally displaced or externally displaced around the world (UNHCR, 2023).
Egypt is among the many nations that signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocol in 1967. Accordingly, it is responsible for the protection of refugees fleeing to it. Article 91 of the 2014 Constitution also affirms the state&rsquo;s right to grant political asylum to every foreigner who has been persecuted for defending the interests of the people (Manshurat, 2014). Article 93 of the Egyptian Constitution also requires compliance with international human rights agreements and conventions (Manshurat, 2014).
Since 1954, the Egyptian government has allowed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Cairo to register refugees in-person. Alternatively, refugees could register over the phone by expressing their desire to legalize their residency, which would give them the freedom to move around Egypt without any restriction. The Commission decided on roughly 11,000 asylum requests in 2022, making it the office with the highest volume of requests (UNHCR, 2023). The Commission reported that there were 473,000 registered refugees (UNHCR, 2023) from 62 nationalities. In November 2023, it was reported that there were 162,000 refugees from Sudan, 152,000 Syrians, as well as&nbsp; 35,000 South Sudanese, and roughly 30,000 refugees hailing from Eritrea (UNHCR). 38% of the total refugees were children the report showed (EU, 2023).
This marks a record number of asylum seekers registered in Egypt. Most refugees are concentrated in Greater Cairo area, Alexandria, and the Canal cities (Figure 1).
<img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/em3bn016ngHtnFsuj7zlv_k3yhZLtDLgexyO1pgJU2MbyHl38F6m1jLGrputKs4IKkYbupxQOH6ZMY8C5TtzR4hdxaIOCKlFpW-EB6lOyJCtC6KdphPIvxm-kFDTchjgKp0X9aRPsHwDHLb0-4EhcQ" width="624" height="425">
Figure (1) Source: United Nations Refugee Agency, Fact Sheet, November 2023.
<h3 dir="ltr">The discrepancy between refugee numbers reported by the Egyptian government and refugee organizations</h3>
With the start of the Arab Spring &mdash; first in Tunisia in 2011, then Libya, Syria, and Yemen &mdash; citizens from these nations flocked to Egypt in search of a safe haven. Despite the political events that took place in Egypt between 2011 and 2013, some citizens of the aforementioned countries continued to live in Egypt. Over the last ten years (2014-2024), there have been official statements by more than one Egyptian official about the number of refugees, estimating their numbers to be in the millions. A statement by the Head of the Central Agency for Mobilization and Statistics estimated that there were 9 million refugees in Egypt (Youm7, 2023), including 4 million from Sudan and 1.5 million from Syria.
The difference between the numbers stated by the Egyptian government and other organizations is due to the fact that Egypt considers all migrants as refugees. Meanwhile, the UNHCR only recognizes those registered with it. However, there is a difference between the definition of a refugee and a migrant. The United Nations defines a migrant as &ldquo;a person who has resided in a foreign country regardless of the reasons or means used for migration, regular or irregular.&rdquo; The International Organization for Migration (2022) figures indicate that there are 9 million refugees and migrants from 133 countries, most of whom are Sudanese. However, the agency noter that of the 4 million Sudanese in Egypt, only 3% are refugees (IOM, 2022).
<h3 dir="ltr">Challenges faced in refugee registration</h3>
Registration of refugees is of great importance, as it provides reliable information about the people present in the territory of the host country. It also enables the nation to integrate them properly and protect them in accordance with the 1951 Refugee Convention. In some cases, host countries may register the refugees, countries like Canada, the United States of America, and Sweden are examples of that. On the other hand, the state can rely on the High Commission to register refugees (Mahmoud &amp; Salem, 2018), which is what countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon have done.
However, if the Egyptian government insists on viewing the over 9 million migrants as refugees, it would have to register them, which would pose a challenge due to the sheer number of individuals (Mahmoud &amp; Salem, 2018). More importantly, the lack of documentation for these individuals, whether it be a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or educational certificates, is another hurdle. In addition, the absence of a clear and specific mechanism for the registration of these refugees may lead to security risks as these individuals rush to registration offices.&nbsp;
The Egyptian government cooperated with the United Nations&rsquo; International Organization for Migration between October 2021 and June 2022 to audit the numbers of migrants and refugees according to gender, age, place of residence, duration of stay and reason for the residence, and employment (IOM, 2022).
<h3 dir="ltr">European Union (EU) financing between Egypt and Turkey</h3>
Refugees face tough circumstances, especially if the host country is suffering from high unemployment rates as well as difficult living conditions. CAPMAS (2020) data showed that some 32.5% of Egyptians live below the national poverty line. This percentage is at its highest in regions like Upper Egypt, where it reaches 48% (Ellaithy, 2023). However, for refugees, the percentage skyrockets to 84%. In addition, refugees struggle to access health care and education. In 2023, the European Union announced a 5 million euros (roughly $5.4 million) aid package (EU, 2023),&nbsp; which included cash and other in-kind assistance, like food, water, and hygiene tools for those coming from Sudan. The European Union has provided 37.9 million euros to refugees in Egypt since 2015. The European Union also provided 2.3 billion euros to registered refugees in Turkey, between 2016 and July 2023, for 1.5 million refugees (EU, 2023).
<h3 dir="ltr">Models that may benefit the Egyptian government&nbsp;</h3>
Egypt intends to audit the number of refugees and document its efforts to care for them as well as pinpoint the cost of services provided (SIS, 2024). Following multiple statements from government officials like Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in which he discussed inflation rates and high prices (The Asahi Shimbun, 2023), and the added pressure refugees place on the costs of food and services (Almasry Alyoum, 2023). Egypt called on the European Union to support it financially for hosting the refugees &ldquo;on an equal footing with the Egyptians&rdquo; (Hegazi, 2023). Furthermore, a decision was issued to amend the residency and entry of foreigners. Now, they must pay $1000 when renewing residency or adjusting an illegal residence status (Ahram, 2023). A decision that sparked concern among the foreigners residing in Egypt.
Meanwhile, other countries like Morocco are trying to benefit from refugees viewing them as an opportunity for development. In 2013 Morocco developed a national strategy for migration and asylum, making it easier for refugees or immigrants to integrate within the North African nation (Shahshy, 2018), through 11 programs that enable immigrants and refugees to access basic rights such as health, education and housing.
Turkey hosts the largest number of registered refugees around the world, reaching 3.6 million Syrian refugees (Kaya, 2023). Ankara established the first asylum law in the country, which is the Foreigners and International Protection Law, which has been in effect since April 2014 (LDF, 2024), two years after the start of the Syrian crisis and the influx of Syrian refugees heading to Turkey.
Incentives like education, health, and equality with other Egyptian citizens are factors that attract migrants and refugees (IOM, 2022). Another factor that draws refugees to Egypt is the fact that the individuals are not placed in refugee camps (SIS, 2016). This led some to consider it a pit stop on their way to another country by registering through the United Nations High Commission. All these factors give Egypt an advantage and allow it to host more refugees and benefit from them. As figures have shown that Syrian migrants&rsquo; investments reached one billion dollars (IOM, 2022).
<h3 dir="ltr">How does Egypt benefit refugees and benefit from their presence?</h3>
Based on the information presented about the refugee registration process and the experiences of other countries that have large numbers of refugees and immigrants, the Egyptian government can take several measures to aid refugees and benefit from them as well, including:
<ul>
<li>Distinguishing refugees and migrants as two separate groups.</li>
<li>Cease the release of any statements that label refugees and migrants as a burden on the state. Especially since these official statements may subject migrants and refugees to cyberbullying and may encourage xenophobic comments on the streets and in workplaces.</li>
<li>Continue cooperation with the UNHCR, as the UN agency pays the Egyptian government to educate every registered refugee. The UNHCR also provides financial support in the fields of education and health by training teachers and repairing government schools and hospitals.</li>
<li>Reconsidering the refugee&rsquo;s fees, specifically the two thousand dollars for university registration, a decision that the government imposed in August 2023 on any foreign student, including refugees, and the value is borne by the High Commission.</li>
</ul>
The Egyptian government can benefit from the refugees and migrants by integrating them into society and utilizing their talents, just as countries like Germany have done (The Federal Government, 2023), Moreover, focusing on the places they reside and creating specific job opportunities, thereby enabling them to work and produce, which ultimately benefits them and the state. In addition, the government needs to assess the impact of their residence in specific areas on property prices and rent. Egypt needs a &ldquo;legislation that regulates the status of refugees&rdquo; and regulates their dealings with the government. Also, their distribution within residential clusters needs to be regulated (Marae, 2008) in order to reduce inequality and avail basic services to both citizens and foreigners, just as Morocco did through its laws.
<hr>
References
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">CAPMAS. (2020). The value of the national poverty line per capita per year 2010. Retrieved from https://www.capmas.gov.eg/Pages/IndicatorsPage.aspx?Ind_id=1122</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Egypt. (n.d.). European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Retrieved from https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/middle-east-and-northern-africa/egypt_en&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Ellaithy, Heba. (2023). Impact of recent economic situations on poverty. Retrieved from:&nbsp;<a href="https://shorturl.at/hjpH8">https://shorturl.at/hjpH8</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Hassan, K. (2023b, August 31). The Official Gazette publishes the Prime Minister&rsquo;s decision regarding the controls for collecting residency fees for foreigners in dollars or its equivalent. Al-Ahram Gate. https://gate.ahram.org.eg/News/4519597.aspx</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">INTERVIEW/ Egypt president willing to work with Japan for Sudan cease-fire | The Asahi Shimbun Asia &amp; Japan Watch. (n.d.-c). The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14898341">https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14898341</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Issuance of the amended Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the year 2014. (2021, November 8). Legal publications. Retrieved from https://manshurat.org/node/4256</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Mahmoud &amp; Salem. Challenges of registering asylum seekers who lack identification papers. Refugees in the Middle East, 241-252. Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/amARX</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Marae, E. (2008). The refugee's case: Reality, problems, and work mechanisms? Strategic Papers, 187.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">No refugee camps on Egyptian soil. (2016, November). State Information Service. Retrieved from https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/106820?lang=en-us</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Refugee Statistics | USA for UNHCR. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/statistics/</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey - UNHCR T&uuml;rkiye. (n.d.). UNHCR T&uuml;rkiye. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/tr/en/refugees-and-asylum-seekers-in-turkey</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Shahsy, A. (2018). The Moroccan experience in managing asylum and immigration policies. Refugees in the Middle East, 281-239.Retrieved from&nbsp;<a href="https://shorturl.at/amARX">https://shorturl.at/amARX</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Statistics: The number of refugees in Egypt is 9 million, equivalent to the population of several European countries. (2023, August 28). The Seventh Day.https://www.youm7.com/story/2023/8/28/Statistics-number-of-refugees-in-Egypt records-9-million-refugees-equivalent/6286738</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">The context of refugees in Egypt - UNHCR Egypt. (n.d.). UNHCR Egypt.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unhcr.org/eg/ar/about-us/refugee-context-in-egypt">https://www.unhcr.org/eg/ar/about-us/refugee-context-in-egypt</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">The government begins auditing the numbers of refugees... and the cost of the services the state bears to care for them. (2024, January 8). State Information Service. <a href="https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/269800/The-government-begins-auditing-the-numbers-of-refugees..and-the-cost-of-the-services-to-care-for-the-state-bearing-of-the-state?lang=ar">https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/269800/The-government-begins-auditing-the-numbers-of-refugees..and-the-cost-of-the-services-to-care-for-the-state-bearing-of-the-state?lang=ar</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Triangulation of Migrants Stock in Egypt. (2022, July). International Organization for Migrations. https://egypt.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1021/files/documents/migration-stock-in-egypt-june-2022_v4_eng.pdf&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency. (n.d.). The 1951 Refugee Convention | UNHCR. UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/who-we-are/1951-refugee-convention</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">What is a Refugee? Definition and Meaning | USA for UNHCR. (n.d.). UN Regugeess.Retrieved from:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/what-is-a-refugee/">https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/what-is-a-refugee/</a></li>
</ul>

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