Al-Midan Editorial:  

The Situation of Sudanese in Egypt Revisited: Between the Imperatives of Sovereignty and the Obligations of Humanitarian Protection

Al-Midan 4472 — Sunday, June 7, 2026

The ongoing war in Sudan, together with the widespread security and humanitarian collapse that has accompanied it, has forced millions of Sudanese to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighboring countries, foremost among them Egypt. Sudan and Egypt are bound by deep-rooted historical ties and profound social, cultural, and human connections forged through centuries of interaction and strengthened by the shared struggles of both peoples against colonialism, as well as by their convergent positions on many of the region’s critical issues. 

It is within the context of these special ties that Egypt has received large numbers of Sudanese fleeing the horrors of war - an undertaking that deserves recognition and appreciation. At the same time, the Egyptian state, as a sovereign nation, has every right to establish the legal and administrative frameworks necessary to regulate matters of residence, asylum, and migration within its territory in a manner that safeguards national security and ensures the orderly management of public resources and services. 

Yet this legitimate sovereign right must be exercised in accordance with the obligations arising from relevant international and regional instruments, foremost among them the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, and the pertinent African and Arab agreements. These obligations require respect for the fundamental principles governing the protection of refugees and asylum seekers, including, above all, the principle of non-refoulement, the guarantee of humane and dignified treatment, and the provision of fair and transparent legal procedures. 

Against this backdrop, the issuance of the Executive Regulations of Egypt’s Asylum Law for Foreign Nationals No. 164 of 2024 has generated considerable debate within Egyptian and international legal and human rights circles. While the law represents a significant step toward establishing a national framework for managing asylum affairs after decades of reliance on mechanisms administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), concerns have been raised regarding certain provisions and procedures, particularly those affecting asylum seekers and the adequacy of legal safeguards against arbitrary detention or administrative decisions that are not subject to effective judicial oversight. 

This development coincides with the escalation of media campaigns and inflammatory rhetoric targeting Sudanese nationals and other foreign residents, holding them responsible for economic and social challenges whose roots lie in far more complex structural factors. It is essential to distinguish between legitimate public debate concerning migration and asylum policies, on the one hand, and exclusionary narratives that conflate documented and undocumented residents, refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants on the other. Such rhetoric serves only to inflame hostility and resentment toward individuals who have been compelled to leave their homelands by war, persecution, or insecurity. 

Numerous experiences across Africa and the Arab world have demonstrated that foreigners and refugees are often transformed into convenient scapegoats during periods of economic and social hardship, while the true causes of crises—developmental imbalances, unemployment, social inequality, and weak economic governance—remain largely unaddressed. Confronting such narratives is therefore not merely a matter of defending refugee rights; it is also a defense of the values of justice, human solidarity, and peaceful coexistence that have historically constituted some of the most important sources of moral and cultural strength within Arab and African societies. 

While Sudanese observers watch with concern reports of detention, deportation, administrative restrictions, and hostile media campaigns affecting some of their compatriots, they are equally keen to emphasize that relations between the Sudanese and Egyptian peoples are far deeper and more enduring than any temporary policies or practices. These relations have long been grounded in shared interests and extensive human and cultural interconnections that have benefited both nations over many decades. Sudan itself hosted hundreds of thousands of Egyptians who lived and worked there, enjoying respect, appreciation, and full participation in economic and social life. 

Preserving these profound historical bonds, as well as the strategic and economic interests shared by Sudan and Egypt in areas such as trade, investment, water security, regional integration, and sustainable development, requires approaching the refugee issue in a spirit of shared responsibility and human solidarity, free from generalization, incitement, or narrow political and media exploitation. The stability of relations between the two countries rests not only on geography and history, but also on a broad network of mutual interests that make cooperation and understanding an indispensable choice for both peoples. Consequently, the management of this issue should be guided by an approach that respects Egypt’s legitimate right to regulate residency and asylum matters and protect its national interests, while simultaneously safeguarding the dignity and fundamental rights of Sudanese fleeing the devastation of war, as guaranteed under international and regional legal frameworks. Such an approach would strengthen mutual trust, preserve the legacy of fraternity and good neighborliness, and protect the future of Sudanese-Egyptian relations from avoidable tensions and negative repercussions that wisdom, fairness, and justice can prevent. 

In this regard, we appeal to Egypt’s national and democratic forces, foremost among them the Egyptian Communist Party, as well as to civil society organizations, human rights advocates, and intellectuals, to continue defending the values of human solidarity and social justice and to support those affected by the war in Sudan. Such efforts would reinforce the longstanding traditions of fraternity between the two peoples and help safeguard the future of Sudanese-Egyptian relations on the foundations of mutual respect, good neighborliness, and shared interests. 

The war will end, sooner or later. What will remain are the peoples, the geography, and the shared history that bind them together. Political wisdom and moral responsibility therefore require that this issue be managed in a manner that strengthens the bridges of trust and cooperation between the two countries, rather than leaving behind wounds and grievances that could easily be avoided through adherence to the rule of law, fairness, and the enduring values of human solidarity.