The European Commission has announced that the European Union will allocate €5 million to help the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers stranded in Egypt’s poorest neighbourhoods in urban centres. The funding will enable safe and sustainable access to quality education, protection services and basic needs, the statement added.

Egypt currently hosts 6 million migrants and refugees and is keen to ensure they live decent lives, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In October, during the Egypt-Visegrad Group Summit, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt would never allow refugees to make onward journeys to Europe for their own safety and so as not to cause problems for European countries.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Egypt hosts more than 270,000 registered asylum-seekers and refugees from 65 countries. The majority are from Syria, followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Somalia.

The ECHO statement added that €4 million will be allocated for Libya to address humanitarian needs in health and education and to provide protection for people in need in urban centres and hard-to-reach locations.

Some €9 million will be allocated to Algeria to help the most urgent needs of vulnerable Sahrawi refugees, including to provide access to food, safe water, basic healthcare, and education.

“The European Union is committed to supporting people in need no matter where they are. The new funding for humanitarian organisations in Algeria, Egypt and Libya will help vulnerable people affected by conflicts, instability or displacement. As their situation became increasingly difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will help meet their basic needs and ensure they can access healthcare, education and other services,” Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said.