Ashraf AboArafe
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated US$5 million to support the UN humanitarian efforts in Egypt directed towards people fleeing violence and conflict in Sudan, including refugees, returnees, asylum-seekers and third country nationals as well as their host communities.
Since the beginning of the crisis, Egypt has received the largest number of people fleeing the war in Sudan. It is estimated that over 113,000 people arrived on the Egyptian-Sudanese borders as of 17 May 2023. The numbers are rapidly increasing with up to 5,000 arrivals a day in Qustul and Argeen borders. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) forecasts that a total of 350,000 people could arrive in Egypt within the next six months.
The allocation of funds to relief efforts in Egypt is part of a bigger support provided to neighboring countries of Sudan (Chad, Central African Republic and South Sudan) with a total amount of $22 million as announced by Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
Since the beginning of the crisis, UN agencies operating in Egypt – under the leadership of UNHCR and in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator – have been working closely with the Government and civil society organizations, including the Egyptian Red Crescent, to provide food, water and sanitation, healthcare services, cash assistance as well as psycho-social support. The CERF allocation will allow scaling up assistance, with focus on the most vulnerable people.
