Egypt accelerates Sudanese refugee deportations in systematic effort

Egypt has accelerated deportations of Sudanese refugees over the past year, markedly increasing detentions and forced returns. This escalation forms part of a broader campaign of repression against refugees fleeing Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, the world’s largest. Critics argue that the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has failed to adequately challenge the Egyptian government’s crackdown, prioritizing relations with the authorities over the defense of refugee rights.

The deportations violate international refugee conventions that Egypt has ratified. Refugees report being detained and expelled without due process, even when they possess UNHCR documents that should protect them from refoulement. In some instances, Egyptian officials have confiscated UNHCR cards, stripping refugees of proof of their protected status. The government’s new asylum law, which grants authorities wide latitude to revoke refugee protections on vague grounds, has emboldened the crackdown. Although UNHCR has supported the law, concerns remain that it does not explicitly incorporate the principle of non‑refoulement. The EU has offered only limited criticism, despite privately acknowledging that the law falls short of international standards.

Security services have targeted refugee community leaders and institutions, leading to arrests, detentions, and deportations. The crackdown extends to other nationalities, including Eritreans and South Sudanese. UNHCR faces criticism for its response; many argue the agency has not done enough to intervene on behalf of threatened refugees. Its limited presence along Egypt’s border with Sudan and lack of access to detention centers and border areas have hampered its ability to address the crisis. Consequently, UNHCR’s silence is seen by some as a form of collusion with the Egyptian government, a stance influenced by its dependence on funding from the EU and European states.

The deportations have severe implications for the refugees forced to return to a country where they face significant risks. The situation underscores the need for greater international scrutiny of Egypt’s treatment of refugees and the EU’s response. As the expulsions continue, individuals like Osman Yaqoub Mansur, who was deported earlier this year, are left to pick up the pieces, while many wonder what the future holds for them.