From Sudan to Egypt: Chaotic Conditions at the Egyptian-Sudanese Border Amid a Notable Absence of Relief and International Organizations – Press Coverage Commences Today

Status Report on the Period Between 22-26 April, 2023:

• Overcrowding at the Egyptian-Sudanese border crossings, with reports from various regions indicating an increase in arrivals in the coming days. This is amid delays in completing the crossing procedures at the Egyptian borders, with testimonies indicating that these delays may last for days. Some testimonies indicate that people have been standing at the crossings for three days.
• The processing of crossing requests is extremely slow, and there are no equipped waiting areas. Many women, children, and elderly individuals sit on the ground for days without food or medicine.
• There are many medical conditions in need of urgent and special care while waiting on both sides of the border, especially on the Sudanese side.
• Apart from the statement made by the Ministry of Transport regarding the number of arrivals, the Egyptian government has not yet released any statements outlining methods for receiving the displaced or contingency plans. Neither have any international relief organizations established branches in response to them at or near the crossings, except for the Egyptian Red Crescent, which announced establishing a service and relief point at the Arqeen land port on the Egyptian side to receive arrivals from Sudan and provide food, water, medicine, urgent relief, and facilitate phone calls to their families, as well as establishing a meeting point with arrivals in Aswan.
• There are no offices affiliated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at or near the border crossings, with the nearest office located in Cairo.
• No exceptional measures have been announced for the crossing of injured or sick individuals so far.
• After very long and exhausting journeys, those arriving at the Egyptian-Sudanese border have reported an acute shortage of water, food and medicine at the crossing points.
• Reports indicate overcrowding in reception areas and hotels on the Egyptian side of the border.
• Despite the dissemination of hateful and anti-immigrant rhetoric in recent days on social media in an organized manner, large-scale campaigns have been launched on an individual basis or by voluntary initiatives to provide support and assistance to Sudanese nationals who have recently arrived in Egypt.
• The Nubian community has launched a campaign to host Sudanese arrivals in Egypt.
• Mersal Foundation has announced the availability of medical support services, medication, and infant formula for newly arrived individuals by contacting the emergency hotline.
• Various initiatives have been launched to assist those coming from Sudan.
• The Shubra Archive welcomes arrivals from Sudan to its educational course.