- Ashraf AboArafe
Cairo, September 2, 2025 — Against the backdrop of one of the greatest global challenges of our time—displacement and migration—UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, emphasized the urgent need for collective international responsibility to support Egypt’s efforts in safeguarding the dignity of refugees, migrants, and host communities.
Panova hailed Egypt’s “noble responsibility” in shouldering a global service to humanity, noting that the country provides refuge at a time when conflicts, climate change, and widening inequalities are driving unprecedented displacement and testing national systems worldwide.
Speaking at a meeting of the Joint Platform for Refugees and Migrants in Cairo, she underlined that the generosity Egypt demonstrates is not only a lifeline within its borders but also a vital contribution to the stability of the wider region.
“The responsibility of caring for and protecting people on the move cannot rest on Egypt alone,” Panova stressed, calling for a concerted global response and greater support for NGOs and local partners who understand the realities on the ground and deliver effective solutions.
Beyond Short-Term Responses
Panova cautioned that challenges facing refugees, migrants, and host communities cannot be addressed by fragmented or short-lived interventions. Instead, they require sustained, multi-sectoral collaboration beyond limited funding cycles, with partnerships serving as the cornerstone of success.
“Only by uniting expertise, resources, and commitment across government, international partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector,” she noted, “can Egypt achieve sustainable change that strengthens national systems, empowers host communities, and protects the dignity of migrants and refugees. This is the path to resilience and stability for Egypt and the entire region.”
The Role of the Joint Platform
The Joint Platform for Refugees and Migrants, Panova explained, embodies this spirit by fostering closer coordination and collective action. It creates a shared space for government representatives, civil society, the UN, and international partners to collaborate.
Its mission is to empower refugees and migrants to realize their potential as contributors to sustainable development, helping to foster growth and strengthen social cohesion within host communities.
Two principles anchor the Platform’s goals:
- Safeguarding the rights of all people on the move, based on their vulnerability and legal protections under international agreements.
- Supporting host countries by reinforcing Egypt’s efforts to integrate refugees and migrants into essential public services.
Human Faces Behind the Numbers
Panova highlighted that challenges remain significant: barriers to education, healthcare, livelihoods, and social protection persist, while host communities face growing pressure on public services. Alarmingly, 73.5% of registered refugees in Egypt are women and children.
“These are not just numbers,” Panova said. “They are living human stories—mothers searching for safe shelter, children needing school desks, families striving for dignity and care. Such cross-cutting challenges demand holistic solutions that place the most vulnerable—especially women and children—at the heart of our response.”
From Pilot to Proven Model
This vision has already taken shape through the UN’s first joint program on migrants and refugees, launched under the Platform. The initiative expands access to education and healthcare, strengthens protection systems, and addresses food insecurity.
Thanks to the European Union’s early and continued support, what began as a pilot has become a proven model. Thousands of migrant, refugee, and host community children now learn side by side in classrooms. Clinics serve both migrants and local residents. Protection services and livelihood opportunities are reaching those most at risk.
