Egypt’s role asa vital sanctuary for refugees has been spotlighted in a recent fact sheet released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Egypt, which noted that some 1,080,336 refugees and asylum-seekers are registered with UNHCR Egypt.
“Egypt enacted its first asylum law in December 2024 and issued its by-laws in May 2026, establishing a national framework for refugee management and protection,” reads the fact sheet.
The UNHCR Egypt noted that “Between 2022 and October 2026, the number of registered refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt rose by 270 per cent, from approximately 288,500 to 1.1 million”, against a backdrop of declining resources available to UNHCRto assist them.
According to data outlined in the UNHCR Egypt Factsheet, out of $133.5 million requested for UNHCR Egypt in 2026, only $42.6 million has been secured so far, leaving a funding gap of 68% that still needs to be bridged.
The number of registered refugees and asylum-seekers cited in the fact sheet represents a fraction of the more than 10.5 million foreigners, migrantsand refugees living in Egypt, according to statements by Egyptian officials.
