SIS to The Guardian: Egypt provides comprehensive care, services to Sudanese nationals

alhadath – cairo

The Editor-in-Chief

The Guardian

I am writing in response to the article published by your newspaper on 26 May 2026 under the title, “Poverty, Racism and Forced Disappearances: Why Sudanese War Refugees Are Leaving Egypt for Europe.”

The article is based on a partial portrayal and assumptions that do not reflect the full reality of Egypt’s hosting millions of Sudanese brothers and sisters who live, study, and work in the country, including one million who were forced to flee their homeland as a result of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

Before addressing the conclusions presented in the article, it is necessary to correct the fundamental narrative on which it is based. The article portrays Egypt as a hostile environment for Sudanese refugees while overlooking the extraordinary scale of Egypt’s response to the Sudanese displacement crisis since the outbreak of war in April 2023. This response has taken place at a time when Egypt itself has been facing significant economic challenges. Nevertheless, Egypt has continued to keep its borders accessible and to provide refuge to large numbers of Sudanese nationals seeking safety.

It is also important to note that Egypt’s approach to those fleeing the conflict in Sudan has been distinguished by its commitment to providing access to basic services on a non-camp basis. Unlike many refugee-hosting countries, Egypt has enabled Sudanese nationals to reside within local communities and benefit from public services, including access to education and healthcare, thereby facilitating their integration into daily life and preserving their dignity.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, Egyptian state institutions, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, have worked to accommodate the significant influx of displaced Sudanese nationals. Egyptian schools and healthcare facilities have continued to receive Sudanese families despite the considerable pressure placed on national resources and public services. These efforts have been undertaken at a time when Egypt itself has faced substantial economic challenges, underscoring the country’s commitment to its humanitarian responsibilities and its longstanding historical ties with the Sudanese people.

Furthermore, the relationship between Egyptian and Sudanese peoples is rooted in deep historical, cultural, and social bonds that extend far beyond the current crisis. Millions of Sudanese nationals have lived in Egypt over many years as students, professionals, business owners, and families, contributing positively to society and benefiting from opportunities available to residents and visitors alike. Any assessment of the current situation should therefore be viewed within this broader context rather than through isolated incidents or individual allegations.

The article also relies heavily on anecdotal accounts from a small number of unnamed individuals. While personal experiences are important and deserve attention, they cannot alone support sweeping conclusions regarding the experience of the entire Sudanese population in Egypt. Nor should such accounts automatically be interpreted as evidence of state policy or as representative of the attitudes of Egyptian society as a whole. The article presents allegations of racism, insecurity, and arbitrary treatment without adequately reflecting the efforts undertaken by the Egyptian authorities to address the health, educational, and security needs of our Sudanese brothers and sisters.

It is equally important to clarify that some of the cases cited in the article may involve individuals who have not fulfilled the legal requirements governing residence and stay in Egypt. Like any sovereign state, Egypt applies its immigration and residency laws to all foreign nationals without discrimination. Any legal or administrative measures taken in such cases are based on violations of applicable laws and regulations, not on nationality. Portraying actions related to unlawful residency or other legal infractions as evidence of discrimination against Sudanese nationals is inaccurate and fails to distinguish between law enforcement and public policy.

As for the allegations concerning discrimination or abuse, the report would have been better served by presenting the full picture and providing official Egyptian institutions and relevant authorities with an opportunity to respond and clarify the facts. The Egyptian authorities reject any practices that violate the law or infringe upon the rights of any person residing on Egyptian territory. Allegations and incidents are subject to established legal and institutional mechanisms. To generalize individual allegations and transform them into broad judgments about an entire society or the policies of a sovereign state is both unfair and analytically unsound.

Any fair assessment of Egypt’s response to the Sudanese crisis should acknowledge not only the challenges that inevitably accompany the arrival of large numbers of displaced persons, but also the substantial humanitarian, social, and economic burden that Egypt has voluntarily assumed in providing protection, assistance, and opportunities to those fleeing conflict.

­­­Readers seeking a genuine understanding of developments in our region deserve reporting grounded in comprehensive facts rather than partial narratives, and in thorough verification rather than preconceived assumptions. In this regard, we continue to welcome any effort aimed at observing realities firsthand and engaging with the relevant authorities in order to provide a more accurate, balanced, and informed account.

I therefore respectfully request that this response be published in full, in accordance with the professional standards and principles of responsible journalism.

Yours sincerely,

Ambassador Alaa Youssef

Chairman of the State Information Service

The Arab Republic of Egypt