Photo courtesy of the spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency
The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty; Hanan Hamdan, UNHCR representative to Egypt and the Arab League; Rema Jamous Imseis, UNHCR regional director for the Middle East and North Africa; and Reese Jardy, special assistant to the High Commissioner.
Presidential Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said President El-Sisi welcomed Salih’s visit to Egypt and congratulated him on assuming his post earlier this year.
During the meeting, El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s appreciation for its cooperation with UNHCR in providing international protection to refugees and asylum seekers residing in Egypt, as well as managing the asylum process in accordance with Egypt’s national law.
He stressed Egypt’s readiness to continue this cooperation to strengthen international solidarity and support refugees.
The president also reviewed Egypt’s efforts to host more than 10.5 million foreigners, migrants, and refugees of various nationalities amid multiple international and regional crises.
He said Egypt has sought to provide them with basic services within its available capabilities while ensuring respect for Egyptian laws and international obligations.
El-Sisi stressed that Egypt has never used the refugee issue for political purposes.
He underlined the importance of greater burden-sharing and responsibility-sharing and called for increased international support for Egypt.
The president also called for support for Egypt’s new national asylum system, whose executive framework is currently being finalized.
He urged a comprehensive approach to asylum and displacement that addresses their root causes, including political and security crises and economic challenges, in ways that support sustainable development and strengthen peace and stability in countries of origin.
For his part, Salih expressed appreciation for his visit to Egypt and for meeting the president, affirming UNHCR’s keenness to strengthen its longstanding cooperation with the Egyptian government in protecting refugees and supporting host communities.
He praised Egypt’s efforts in hosting millions of foreigners, migrants, and refugees and voiced appreciation for the burdens borne by the Egyptian state in sustaining services for them.
Salih stressed the need for increased international support in line with the scale of Egypt’s efforts, saying the country bears significant burdens that require meaningful backing and effective burden-sharing.
He also highlighted the key role of Egypt and President El-Sisi in promoting regional stability, describing Egypt as a pivotal, historically stable anchor in the region.
The UN official welcomed Egypt’s steps to launch the new national asylum system and praised the establishment of the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs, affirming UNHCR’s readiness to provide all forms of support for these efforts.
He also briefed El-Sisi on his vision for UNHCR’s work in the coming period amid growing global challenges related to asylum, including the agency’s strategy to reduce the number of refugees worldwide.
Salih expressed his aspiration to continue cooperation with Egypt, particularly given Cairo’s central role in regional and international issues.
The meeting comes as Egypt completes the rollout of its first national asylum system, including the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs, which will become the sole body handling refugee and asylum-seeker cases.
Egypt will continue to recognize UNHCR-issued refugee and asylum-seeker cards during the transition period until they expire or are replaced by new national registration documents.
Egypt has also intensified calls for greater international burden-sharing, saying it hosts more than 10.5 million refugees and migrants who live within Egyptian society rather than in camps and have access to basic services. FM Abdelatty warned in April that international support remains insufficient relative to the pressures facing Egypt.
Salih’s visit to Cairo is also significant because it follows his appointment as UN High Commissioner for Refugees for a five-year term beginning in January 2026, a move Egypt welcomed in December.
His talks in Cairo come amid rising regional displacement pressures, particularly from the war in Sudan, and broader UNHCR efforts to reduce long-term displacement worldwide.
Short link: