Foreign Ministry: Egypt Hosts 9 Million Refugees, Migrants as More Sudanese Flee Armed Conflict

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that the number of migrants and refugees in Egypt has increased to nine million amid the arrival of thousands from Sudan who are fleeing war and conflict.

Abu Zeid's remarks came following Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry's meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva last Thursday

During their meeting, both officials  discussed ways to boost cooperation and partnership between Cairo and the UNHCR, in a bid to alleviate the burden likely to be experienced by the Egyptian government, in light of the news that nine million refugees and migrants are now in the country, according to the Egypt Independent news site.

They also discussed the UNHCR’s capacity to mobilise resources and provide humanitarian and medical relief at the borders for those fleeing Sudan.

It is worth mentioning, according to reports, 121,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Egypt following the outbreak of the conflict on 15 April between forces loyal to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese army, and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).