SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Egypt deports more Sudanese, as bureaucracy makes asylum ‘nearly impossible’
Radio Dabanga report that Egyptian authorities in Aswan deported hundreds of Sudanese people, sending them back to Sudan.
The deportees reportedly faced harsh humanitarian conditions during the journey, with high temperatures and insufficient food and drink exacerbating their suffering, with many having chronic diseases.
Radio Dabanga noted bureaucratic challenges to entering Egypt legally, seen as a “deliberate attempt to limit the influx of Sudanese refugees”.
Obtaining security approval for entry into Egypt is financially burdensome for many Sudanese given the obligation to use EgyptAir to reach Egypt via Cairo Airport, which is unsuitable for those arriving by land. While registration with the UNHCR theoretically prevents deportation, long waiting periods, sometimes exceeding five months, complicate this.
Another issue is the 960km distance between Aswan and Cairo, where the UNHCR headquarters are located, as Sudanese arriving through Aswan may be stopped and asked for entry visas before reaching Cairo.