- INTRODUCTION
As the conflict in Sudan continues to spiral out of control with recent reports of massacres and widespread starvation, Egypt is poised to adopt a new asylum law that will threaten access to protection for those desperately fleeing the neighbouring country as well as for refugees from other countries in the region. It will also allow for arbitrary detention and refoulment based on migration status and without full consideration of a person’s individual protection needs. These developments could lead to massive increases in Egypt’s ongoing detention and deportation efforts—which have already ensnared thousands of Sundanese children, women, and men since late 2023—and further fuel Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.
Despite these growing threats to refugees, the European Union continues to expand its engagements with Egypt on migration matters, as reflected in the signing of a new Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership early this year, which reportedly includes more than 7 billion EUR in aid over the next few years.