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Egypt as a Destination and Transit Country
Due to many factors, including its geographical location, Egypt has historically become a destination for people moving within the region for various reasons, such as armed conflicts, internal strife, wars, economic conditions, and the effects of climate change. It is both a receiving and transit country, and its political and economic conditions have also made it a country of origin.
Over the past decade, as regional crises intensified, large numbers of refugees have sought safety in Egypt. Data from the International Organization for Migration show that Egypt now hosts more than 9 million migrants and refugees—around 9% of the country’s total population.[1] Among them, 80% are Sudanese, Syrians, Yemenis, and Libyans and 958,179 are registered with UNHCR as refugees and asylum seekers.[2] Thus, the number of people who can be considered as prima facie refugees goes well beyond those who are registered with UNHCR. Many face extremely harsh conditions, exacerbated by successive government decisions that further weaken their already fragile legal status.
Sudanese nationals now make up the largest refugee community in Egypt, followed by Syrians. In recent years, Egypt has seen a sharp increase in Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war that has gripped Syria since 2011.[3] According to UNHCR data, the number of registered Syrian refugees in Egypt rose from approximately 12,800 at the end of 2012 to over 147,000 by the end of 2024.[4] With ongoing crises in both Syria and Sudan, Egypt currently hosts the highest number of registered refugees and asylum seekers in its history.
The situation in Sudan underscores the significance of movement across the Egyptian border in search of safety. Since April 2023, Sudan has faced widespread internal conflict and unprecedented human rights violations, leading to what is now considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.[5] Egypt, due to its geographical and cultural proximity and long-standing patterns of movement with Sudan, became a primary destination. Although Egypt and Sudan are parties to the Four Freedoms Agreement, meant to ensure freedom of movement, the Egyptian authorities soon imposed new visa requirements on Sudanese nationals.[6] This policy shift has forced thousands to cross the border irregularly, often under dangerous conditions and in the absence of adequate search and rescue efforts.[7] Those attempting the journey face significant risks, including death, exploitation, detention, violent pushbacks,[8] and deportation without access to asylum procedures, all of which have been documented by human rights organizations.
Despite the harsh measures from Egyptian authorities described above, including violations of the Refugee Convention, the number of Sudanese nationals registered with UNHCR in Egypt reached approximately 630,958 by early 2025. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this figure does not reflect the actual number of Sudanese who crossed into or resided in Egypt by the end of 2024, which the ministry estimated at five million.[9] Sudanese nationals now represent the largest refugee group registered with UNHCR in Egypt. In addition to Sudanese, Egypt hosts tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers of other nationalities[10], including Syrians (144,557), South Sudanese (approximately 46,000), and Eritreans (39,765), along with individuals from Ethiopia, Yemen, Somalia, and Iraq.
Given its geographic location, Egypt functions not only as a host country but also as a key transit point. Many registered and unregistered refugees face insecure legal status, deteriorating economic conditions, and limited access to protection mechanisms or essential services. These challenges have made Egypt a significant country of transit for those attempting to reach Europe. Since early 2017, Egypt has sought to stop departures from its Mediterranean coast, shifting the migration route to the land border with Libya, and from there across the sea. This shift has increased the risks for both Egyptian and non-Egyptian refugees and asylum seekers attempting the journey to Europe.
Egypt as a Country of Origin
In addition to Egypt’s role as a transit and host country, its role as a country of origin has expanded over the past three years. European policy documents now describe Egypt as a primary actor in relation to the prosperity, security, and stability of the Central Mediterranean region.[11] Although there have been no direct departures from Egypt’s northern coast since 2017, interest in Egypt as a country of origin has grown. Despite the government’s heavy reliance on militarization and criminalization as core strategies for migration control and border management, often at significant cost to the rights of Egyptians and people on the move, European data shows that crossings via the Mediterranean have continued to rise for the third consecutive year. In 2021, recorded arrivals totaled 67,724, increasing to 105,561 in 2022 and reaching 158,020 in 2023. Egyptian nationals were the second most common nationality recorded in transit after Bangladeshi nationals, although the overall share of migrants from North Africa, including Egyptians, declined by 45.1 percent compared to previous years.[12]
Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in the number of asylum applications made by Egyptian nationals in EU Member States plus Norway and Switzerland, from just over 6600 applications in 2020 to over 26,000 in 2023. In April 2025, the European Commission proposed to designate Egypt as safe country or origin.[13] The proposal is currently assessed by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament as co-legislators.
[1] IOM, ‘Triangulation of Migrants Stock in Egypt’, July 2022, available here
[2] UNHCR, ‘Egypt | Factsheet’, available here
[3] The Refugees Platform in Egypt, ‘A case report and legal memorandum on the Egyptian government’s decisions regarding the entry and residence of Syrians’, March 2025, available here
[4] UNHCR page, Refugee Context in Egypt, available here
[5] The Refugees Platform in Egypt, ‘More than a year into the war…keep your eyes on Sudan’, June 2024, available here (AR)
[6] The Refugees Platform in Egypt, ‘From Sudan to Egypt: Egyptian Decisions Spark High-Risk Irregular Migration Movement’, March 2024, available here
[7] The Universal Periodic Review of Egypt’s human rights record before the Human Rights Council, report submitted by the Refugees Platform in Egypt and the Migration and Human Rights Platform, July 2024, available here.
[8] Investigation: Inside Egypt’s secret system for detaining and deporting thousands of Sudanese refugees, the Refugees Platform in Egypt and The New Humanitarian, April 2024, available here.
[9] Foreign Minister: Sudanese in Egypt amount to 5 million, local press, July 2004, available here (AR)
[10] Ibid.
[11] Council of the European Union, ‘Overview of the Central-Mediterranean Route’, July 2024, available here.
[12] Ibid.
[13] European Commission Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 as regards the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level (2025), available here.