Egypt's FM receives UN High Commissioner for Refugees Thursday

CAIRO - 25 June 2026: Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, received Barham Salih, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, on Thursday to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation and exchange views on key issues related to refugees.

 

Ambassador Salah Abdel-Sadek, Chairman of the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs, also attended the meeting.

 

Minister Abdelatty expressed his appreciation for the ongoing cooperation with the UNHCR, praising its role as a partner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in managing the Joint Platform on Migration and Asylum, which supports refugees and migrants' access to health and education services.

 

Minister Abdelatty also noted that the issuance of the Law on Asylum is a historic step in Egypt's efforts to strengthen the national legislative framework governing asylum issues.

 

It represents the first comprehensive national law regulating the status of refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt in a manner consistent with Egypt's regional and international obligations.

 

He emphasized the commitment to coordination and consultation with the UNHCR at all stages of the law's development to ensure a smooth transition from the UN system to the national system.

 

Minister Abdelatty also reviewed the huge burdens borne by the Egyptian state as a result of hosting large numbers of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, who receive basic services on an equal footing with Egyptian citizens within the framework of a national policy based on non-discrimination and the non-establishment of camps. This imposes increasing economic burdens.

 

The Minister further stressed the necessity for refugees to comply with legalizing their status in accordance with the relevant national regulations and laws.