The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday that it has begun requiring all Sudanese nationals to obtain a visa before entering Egyptian territory. In a statement, the ministry affirmed that its decision came after the discovery of unlawful activities.
Unlawful Activities
The ministry spokesperson, Ahmed Abu Zeid, stated that Egypt has implemented a new policy that requires all Sudanese nationals to obtain visas before entering the country due to the discovery of "unlawful activities," including the issuance of forged visas.
He also clarified that these measures are not intended to prevent or restrict the number of Sudanese citizens entering Egypt. Abu Zeid added that Egypt has received over 200,000 Sudanese individuals since the outbreak of the crisis.
5 Million Sudanese in Egypt Before the Crisis
He pointed out that these numbers are in addition to the nearly 5 million Sudanese already present in Egypt since before the crisis began. He affirmed that it should be taken into consideration that the responsibility for providing basic healthcare, education, and housing infrastructure for all these individuals lies with the Egyptian government. He revealed that "during the past period, there has been an observed proliferation of illegal activities carried out by individuals and groups on the Sudanese side of the border, involving the forgery of entry visas to Egypt for the purpose of profit, taking advantage of the Sudanese citizens' need to come to Egypt and the good intentions of the Egyptian side to respond to and accommodate the large influx of migrants."
Regulatory Measures
Therefore, the Egyptian authorities have introduced regulatory measures that rely on authenticated visas to counter these crimes. The necessary electronic devices for implementing these measures accurately, swiftly, and securely have been provided to the Egyptian consulates in Sudan, according to the spokesperson of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Abu Zeid affirmed that the process of Sudanese citizens entering Egypt is subject to rules and procedures that are established and organized through joint consular committees with the Sudanese side, which regularly meet to review and update relevant procedures.
In recent weeks, since the outbreak of the war in Sudan, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi confirmed that 200,000 Sudanese have sought refuge on the Egyptian border
