The new draft law aims to align the country's refugee policies with international agreements Egypt ratified, particularly the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Under the new legislation, a Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs (PCRA)will be established to handle all refugee matters, including collecting and analyzing data on refugee numbers.

The Egyptian prime minister will oversee the committee.

In recent years, Egypt has welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests fleeing civil strife and wars in Syria, Yemen, and Sudan.

According to the UNHCR, there are 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR Egypt as of October 2024.

Sudanese are the largest group of refugees, followed by Syrians.

Since April 2023, Egypt has become the largest host country for Sudanese refugees who fled the conflict in Sudan, the UNHCR announced on Friday.

Headquartered in Cairo, the PCRA will collaborate with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other international organizations. It will also work with Egyptian government agencies to ensure refugees receive the necessary support and services.

The bill defines a refugee as a foreigner who has fled their home country due to fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion or due to external aggression, occupation, or other threats to public security.

According to the bill, asylum seekers or their legal representatives can submit applications to the committee, which is authorized to decide on asylum applications within six months for those who entered Egypt legally and within a year for those who entered illegally.

Those who enter the country illegally should submit their application to the permanent committee within 45 days. According to the draft law, those who fail to comply will face imprisonment and pay hefty fines.

The bill gives priority to applications filed by vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, unaccompanied children, and victims of human trafficking, torture, and sexual violence.

Moreover, the bill states that individuals who obtain refugee status through fraudulent means or engage in activities that threaten national security or public order will be stripped of their status and deported.