UN Clarifies Egypt's 1.1 Million Refugee Figure

The United Nations has clarified that the 1.1 million figure frequently cited in recent reports refers only to refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UN refugee agency, not the total number of foreign nationals living in Egypt.

According to the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, the registered caseload represents only a fraction of the estimated 10.5 million migrants, refugees and foreign nationals hosted by the country. The clarification followed media reports that conflated the number of registered refugees with Egypt's overall foreign population.

Panova also reiterated the United Nations' recognition of Egypt's longstanding role in hosting people displaced by conflict and persecution, while stressing the need for continued international support for countries hosting large refugee populations.

The clarification comes ahead of the implementation of Egypt's new national asylum system under the 2024 Foreigners' Asylum Law, which transfers responsibility for determining refugee status from the UN refugee agency to Egyptian authorities.

In May, the government approved the law's executive regulations, which are scheduled to take effect three months after publication. A transition period has also been introduced to allow government entities, refugees and asylum seekers to prepare for the new procedures.

The asylum framework forms part of broader measures introduced since 2023 to regulate the legal status of foreign residents in Egypt, including refugees, migrants and expatriates.