28K unlicensed NGOs in Egypt become official, 32K others apply to legalize their status

CAIRO – 19 January 2022: Assistant to Minister of Social Solidarity for Civil Society Affairs that Ayman Abdel Mawgoud told Al Watan newspaper Wednesday that 28,000 unlicensed NGOs in Egypt finished legalizing their status, while 32,000 others are still in the process after applying online.

The official referred to Article 2 of law no. 149/2019 providing that unlicensed NGOs must apply on licensing within a year since the foundation date. He added that the Cabinet will submit soon a draft amendment to the House of Representatives to extend the duration to two years.

The documents required include a proof of the existence of a headquarters, and criminal records of founding members. The other requirements are that the number of board members should be between five and 15 and it has to be an odd number, and, the minimum number of founders (they can be human or non-human entities) must be 10.

Cairo Court of Appeal dismissed in October the "illegal foreign funding" case against four NGOs because of insufficient evidence.

Those are Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies; Development Support and Institutional Rehabilitations Center; Peace Center for Human Development; and, Nazra Association for Feminist Studies.

As such, the total number of NGOs, cases against which have been dropped, becomes 75. Those included 220 individuals who are now removed from travel ban lists, and whose assets and liquid money are no longer frozen.

In March, the same court cleared five NGOs, and did not convict 15 others because of the lack of enough evidence. Also, in December, six NGOs were proved innocent, while 14 others were found non-guilty.

Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine al-Qabaj stated in January that 413 NGOs that were affiliated to terror organizations have been confiscated by the ministry and are now fulfilling their mission in serving the society.

The minister added that Egypt currently has 52,000 local NGOs, and 59 foreign NGOs. The minister elaborated that the size of foreign funds granted to NGOs in Egypt in 2020 is LE2 billion. The grants came from American, French, German, and Swiss entities.

Qabaj stated that foreign funding is allowed as long as the source is known and is not suspected of involvement in terrorism, extremism, or money laundering.