Highlights: Egypt adopts effective policies in dealing with refugees, migrants

CAIRO – 22 June 2022: In conjunction with the celebration of World Refugee Day a few days ago, the Egyptian state adopted successful and effective policies and vision in dealing with the refugee issue, in light of its keenness to abide by international conventions.

Egypt succeeded in stopping unregistered migration flows, tightening land and sea border controls, and setting a national legislative framework to combat smuggling migrants. The country has also hosted 6 million refugees and migrants of different nationalities, dealing with them without discrimination and integrating them into Egyptian society, while enabling them to benefit from all basic and social services just like Egyptian citizens, in addition to ensuring their freedom of movement and not being isolated in camps or shelter camps.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that “Egypt is proud of hosting more than 6 million people, including migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and is keen to provide them with a decent life, guarantee their rights, and provide them with health, educational and other basic services alongside Egyptian citizens without discrimination.”

In the below lines, et displays benefits refugees enjoy in Egypt:

- Refugees enjoy basic services like Egyptian citizens, although they are among the countries that receive the lowest levels of funding to cover the needs of refugees.

-       The executive regulations of Law No. 2 of 2018 on comprehensive health insurance includes the inclusion of foreigners residing in Egypt and refugees in the comprehensive health insurance system.

-       The scope of many health campaigns has been expanded to include refugees and asylum seekers.

- Children from Arab countries, whose number exceeds 65,000, benefit from educational services and the right to enroll in public schools without discrimination between them and Egyptian citizens.

-       Syrian refugees have the right to full and free access to the same public services, such as: health care, and higher and basic education.

-       Actionable proposals were submitted to the African Union on the status of refugees at the First Global Refugee Forum and the Aswan International Forum for Peace and Development.