Egypt

As the main host country for Sudanese fleeing the conflict, Egypt has seen its refugee and asylum-seeker population triple since the onset of the Sudan crisis. As of 15 April 2025, nearly 950,000 refugees and asylum-seekers from 61 nationalities are registered with UNHCR in Egypt. The Sudanese refugee population is the largest, counting more than 680,000 individuals (72%) – the majority of whom living primarily in Greater Cairo, Alexandria and Aswan. In addition, the government estimates that there are several million more Sudanese in Egypt, including those who were living and working in Egypt before the war started and others who have fled to Egypt post war, but have not sought asylum or registered as refugees. 

Egypt is navigating heightened economic challenges driven by multiple shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and now the Gaza and Sudan crises. The conflict in Gaza has the potential to further impact the Egyptian economy, and the entire region. These challenges are affecting both refugees and vulnerable population groups as well as host communities in Egypt. Rising inflation, devaluation of the Egyptian pound, and substantial foreign debt have caused a sharp increase in the cost of living. 

Egypt's enactment of the "Asylum Law for Foreigners No. 164" in December 2024 demonstrates its commitment to protecting and supporting a diverse refugee population, building upon Egypt’s tradition of generosity as a host country. However, the protection environment has faced growing challenges since 2023 due to the significant and ongoing influx of refugees from Sudan. To support the Egyptian government's capacity to effectively absorb the responsibilities transferred from UNHCR under the new law, enhanced assistance is vital to ensure Sudanese refugees have access to state-based protection, improved health and education services, and opportunities for self-reliance. This strengthening will also contribute to reducing the dangers associated with onward journeys to Libya and Europe.

Government policy supports refugee inclusion in national systems, but additional resources are needed to cope with the increased number of users of these services. Refugees have access to the national health care system but face challenges in obtaining secondary and tertiary care. Women and girls survivors of violence struggle to gain access to medical services, particularly in border areas, and are referred to Cairo for treatment, which adds a financial burden. Recent nutritional assessments and data from the Ministry of Health and Population show limited access to food, with high rates of malnutrition among refugees. 

In the education sector, the government is working to simplify and clarify the procedures for refugee access to education. Currently, there are over 400,000 school age children registered with UNHCR. The greatest number of these are at the primary and secondary levels, of which a recent UNICEF/World Bank assessment showed that 54% of the newly arriving Sudanese children are out of school. Sudanese school-age children and their parents continue to face serious challenges on accessing suitable education opportunities in Egypt, including the closure of several community learning centres in Greater Cairo by local authorities and challenges in obtaining or renewing residency permits on time.

In Egypt, collaboration with development actors is pivotal to bridge the gap between immediate humanitarian relief and sustainable long-term development. By investing in infrastructure and promoting socioeconomic inclusion, development actors can play a crucial role in enhancing the stability of Egypt, a country situated in a region fraught with protracted conflicts. Within the framework of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus, development actors can mainstream a community-based approach that emphasizes localized, multi-sectoral interventions tailored to the unique socio-economic, environmental, and infrastructural challenges of specific geographic areas. This approach not only strengthens social cohesion but also fosters sustainable development. Specific joint initiatives may include integrated multi-sector assessments to generate evidence for policymaking, equitable access to basic services, creating pathways to upward social mobility through tailored economic opportunities for youth, capacity development for national and local entities, and enhancing social cohesion through collaborative governance frameworks addressing community-wide threats such as climate change. Furthermore, this collaboration may also extend beyond mere programmatic implementation, encompassing strategic and policy dialogues that serve to fortify Egypt's resilience in the face of regional instability.