FES BRIEFING EGYPT- SNAPSHOT OF MIGRATION IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS Amina Fahmy, Migration Policy Researcher December 2024 BACKGROUND 1 Egypt’s migration policies have long been shaped by political, economic, and demographic factors. Egypt has increasingly positioned itself as a key partner for the EU, while balancing its own priorities of alleviating unemployment and securing remittances. While historically the majority of Egyptian mi­grants continue to seek opportunities in Arab countries, in March 2022, the number of Egyptian nationals applying for asylum in EU+ countries reached its highest levels since at least 2014. This trend has continued, highlighting the rising demand for migration pathways into Europe. Moreover, Egypt’s role as a country of destination and transit in light of ongoing regional conflict continues to evolve. Nevertheless, the EU has recognized Egypt’s strategic role in regional stabil­ity and has tailored its cooperation to reduce irregular migra­tion while promoting legal migration pathways, fostering joint development initiatives, and enhancing Egypt’s capacity to manage migration. Migration flows have surged due to several factors, including ongoing instability and economic pressures in Egypt and its neighbouring countries. The refugee and asylum-seeker pop­ulation in Egypt is diverse, with over 800,000 individuals cur­rently registered with the UNHCR. This includes migrants from countries like Sudan and Syria, as well as others such as South Sudan, Eritrea, and Palestine. The outbreak of conflict in Su­dan in 2023 led to a significant wave of Sudanese refugees, which has contributed to Egypt’s current refugee population, now surpassing 519,000 Sudanese as of October 2024. Egypt finds itself at a critical juncture where it must balance its role as a key migration hub with the pressures of its internal economic and political challenges. As migration continues to rise, both regular and irregular migration flows to and from Egypt will require sustainable integration policies, increased international cooperation, and strategic investment in ad­dressing the root causes of migration, such as economic insta­bility, climate change, and regional conflict. MIGRATION TO EGYPT: KEY DYNAMICS AND TRENDS Egypt has become a central hub for migration within the ME­NA region, both as a destination and as a transit country, par­ticularly for migrants from Sudan, Syria, and other parts of Africa. The country’s proximity to Europe, combined with its historical and cultural ties to neighboring regions, has made it an important point of entry and temporary residence for those seeking asylum or looking to migrate further westward. 1 The policy brief is based on the information and sources pro­vided in the Country Report of Egypt. Fahmy, A.(2024, December). Country Report: Egypt. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, PRIO Cyprus, ELIA­MEP, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs. https://mena.fes.de/topics/regional-peace-and-se­curity-project.html (FriSi) EGYPT’S DOMESTIC MIGRATION PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES Egypt has long used migration as a tool to address its high unemployment rates and growing labor force. Over the dec­ades, the Egyptian government has formalized labor migration policies through a series of constitutional amendments and laws, with particular attention paid to the economic potential of remittances. The most significant of these is the Emigration and Sponsoring Egyptians Abroad Law(1983), which facilitat­ed Egypt’s focus on foreign labor markets. Today, Egypt’s mi­gration priorities remain closely linked to economic concerns, notably unemployment and poverty. The labor force growth rate consistently outpaces employment growth. While labor migration to Gulf states remains dominant, the trend toward Europe has grown. 1