Egypt has accelerated deportations of Sudanese refugees over the past year, with a significant increase in detentions and forced returns. This escalation is part of a broader campaign of repression against refugees, who are fleeing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Critics argue that the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, has failed to adequately challenge the Egyptian government’s crackdown on refugees, prioritizing relations with the government over defending refugee rights.

The deportations have been carried out in violation of international refugee conventions, which Egypt has ratified. Refugees have reported being detained and deported without due process, despite having UNHCR documents that should protect them against refoulement. In some cases, Egyptian authorities have confiscated UNHCR cards, stripping refugees of proof of their protected status.

The Egyptian government’s new asylum law, which grants authorities wide latitude to revoke refugee protections on vague grounds, has emboldened the crackdown. The law has been supported by UNHCR, despite concerns that it does not explicitly incorporate the principle of non-refoulement. The EU has also provided limited criticism of the law, despite privately acknowledging that it does not meet international standards.

Refugee community leaders and institutions have been targeted by security services, with many facing arrest, detention, and deportation. The crackdown has also affected other nationalities, including Eritreans and South Sudanese. UNHCR has faced criticism for its response to the deportations, with many arguing that it has not done enough to intervene on behalf of threatened refugees.

The agency’s limited presence along Egypt’s border with Sudan and its lack of access to detention centers and border areas have hindered its ability to respond to the crisis. Despite these challenges, many argue that UNHCR’s silence on the deportations amounts to a form of collusion with the Egyptian government. The agency’s dependence on funding from the EU and European states has also been cited as a reason for its cautious approach.

The deportations have significant implications for the refugees affected, who are being forced to return to a country where they face significant risks. The crisis also highlights the need for greater international scrutiny of the Egyptian government’s treatment of refugees and the EU’s response to the situation. As the deportations continue, refugees like Osman Yaqoub Mansur, who was deported earlier this year, are left to pick up the pieces, with many wondering what the future holds for them.