Egypt deserves praise, support for its efforts hosting millions of refugees, UNHCR

CAIRO – 6 November 2025: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday that Egypt deserves praise and support for its efforts in providing a ‘Safe Haven’ to more than one million of the most vulnerable refugees in the region, under exceptionally difficult circumstances.

Ruvindrini Menekdiwela, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection explained that refugees severely affected by the conflict continue to face extremely difficult conditions due to a critical funding shortage.

 She called for increased international support for Egypt in its efforts to host refugees and for ensuring that all refugees have comprehensive and equitable access to essential, life-saving services.

According to the UNHCR, the number of refugees in Egypt has more than tripled since the outbreak of the crisis in Sudan in April 2023, bringing the total number registered with the UNHCR to 1.06 million, three-quarters of whom are Sudanese.

However, a severe funding shortfall threatens the UNHCR's ability to adequately meet the growing needs.

“The UNHCR has been forced to close two of its three registration centers,” said Minikdiwela.

“By the end of this year, the UNHCR's financial resources in Egypt will be close to what they were in 2022, before the Sudanese crisis began. Monthly assistance to refugees has also decreased from $11 in 2022 to just $4 in 2025,” She added.

She noted that the crisis in Sudan has led to the world's largest displacement crisis, while war continues to ravage the country. She emphasized that the peacebuilding efforts underway in Egypt are essential to giving millions of people the opportunity to one day return home safely.