File Photo: Refugees from Sudan queue to enter Egypt at the Argeen crossing. AFP
In a formal letter addressed to the British newspaper, SIS Chairman Ambassador Ala Youssef said the report, titled “Poverty, racism and disappearances: why Sudan’s war refugees are leaving Egypt for Europe,” presented conclusions based on limited narratives and failed to capture the broader context of Egypt’s humanitarian and institutional response since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict in April 2023.
Youssef stressed that Egypt has been one of the main destinations for Sudanese fleeing the war, despite significant economic and regional challenges, adding that the country has kept its borders open and continues to host large numbers of Sudanese citizens.
He noted that millions of Sudanese live in Egypt and carry out their daily lives in education, employment, and business activities, including around one million who have arrived since the start of the conflict.
He said humanitarian considerations and the longstanding historical ties between the Egyptian and Sudanese peoples guided Egypt's approach to the issue.
The SIS chief added that Egypt’s model for hosting displaced populations differs from many other countries. Egypt, Youssef explained, does not rely on refugee camps but allows Sudanese residents to live within cities and rural areas and access public services such as education, healthcare, and other state facilities.
He also said Egyptian state institutions, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, have worked to accommodate the growing influx of Sudanese arrivals, ensuring continued access to schools and hospitals despite pressure on national resources.
Youssef also emphasized that Egyptian-Sudanese relations cannot be reduced to the current crisis, describing them as deep-rooted historical, cultural, and social ties that have seen generations of Sudanese live in Egypt as students, professionals, and business owners contributing positively to society.
Responding to allegations of racism and mistreatment cited in the report, Youssef said the article relied on a limited number of anonymous individual testimonies and could not be used as a basis for general judgments about Egyptian society or state policy.
He added that the report did not provide Egyptian institutions with sufficient opportunity to present their perspective or clarify the facts surrounding the cases mentioned, nor did it reflect the scale of services provided to Sudanese residents in education, healthcare, and security.
Youssef noted that some cases referenced in the report may be linked to non-compliance with legal residency requirements, stressing that Egypt applies its laws equally to all foreign nationals without discrimination, and that any legal or administrative actions are based strictly on the law rather than nationality or background.
He further emphasized that conflating legal enforcement with allegations of discrimination leads to inaccurate conclusions that misrepresent Egypt’s policies, which are grounded in equality before the law.
The SIS reaffirmed Egypt’s rejection of any unlawful practices or violations of residents’ rights, stating that legal and institutional mechanisms are in place to address complaints or isolated incidents.
It warned against generalizing individual cases to broader conclusions about Egyptian society or state policy.
Youssef concluded his letter by calling for balanced, fact-based journalism, urging The Guardian to publish the full response in line with professional and ethical standards, and stressing that audiences deserve accurate, comprehensive reporting rather than selective narratives or preconceived assumptions.
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