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For more than two years, the Egyptian Red Crescent has stood as a vital lifeline for tens of thousands of people forced to flee the devastating conflict in Sudan.
Since the crisis began in April 2023, Red Crescent volunteers and staff have mobilized quickly —responding within just two days by setting up humanitarian service points at the Qustul and Arqeen border crossings in southern Egypt.
These points have offered emergency first aid, medical screenings, psychosocial support, food, water, and hygiene supplies for thousands of Sudanese families arriving in Egypt with little more than the clothes on their backs.
“We acted immediately,” said Dr. Amal Emam, executive director of the Egyptian Red Crescent. “Within 48 hours, we had humanitarian service points up and running at the main border crossings—offering not just relief but also dignity and hope.”
The efforts have not wavered over the past 2 years, as fighting and displacement in Sudan forced more than 12.3 million people from their homes. Most were displaced within Sudan, but nearly one third – 4 million people – have become refugees in neighbouring countries such as Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan.
To help meet the dire needs of desperate people seeking safety within Egypt, the Egyptian Red Crescent has:
- Provided medical care to over 139,000 people
- Delivered cash assistance to 5,000 families
- Offered psychosocial support to over 10,000 individuals, including children
- Facilitated 12,940 local and international phone and internet connections to help people restore contact with their loved ones
- Distributed more than 210,000 hygiene kits, 1.3 million bottles of water, and 1 million ready-to-eat meals
To strengthen its efforts, the Red Crescent activated its Aswan branch and trained response teams across border regions—ensuring services were available not only at crossing points but also in Aswan city, Abu Simbel, and key transit hubs like the Aswan railway station.
Special attention has also been paid to people with disabilities, older adults, and children—ensuring inclusive access to aid and the creation of child-friendly spaces for psychological support.
International solidarity, swift and ongoing action
Beyond Egypt’s borders, the Egyptian Red Crescent extended solidarity to those still inside Sudan. In collaboration with the Egyptian government, it dispatched three ships carrying over 1,000 tonnes of life-saving relief supplies to Sudanese communities still struggling within the country.
These efforts would not be possible without the hundreds of Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers, who have contributed more than 340,000 hours of service since the onset of the crisis—offering compassion, courage, and consistency in the face of one of the region’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.
The Egyptian Red Crescent’s response to the large-scale population movement from Sudan was has also been supported by the IFRC through its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF), which allocated 305,832 Swiss francs to the response. This funding enabled the ERCS to provide immediate, life-saving assistance.
To scale up the response and address growing humanitarian needs at the Sudanese-Egyptian border, the IFRC also launched an Emergency Appeal, which is also mobilizing additional resources to support the ERCS in expanding its operations.
Learn more about how you can join us in solidarity with refugees around the world
Help support refugees and others displaced by fighting in Sudan
IFRC’s approach to migration and displacement
Global Route-Based Migration Programme
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