The Refugees Platform in Egypt (RPE) has acquired two documents dated June 7. One is issued by the Arqeen Border Crossing management (Sudan side), while the other is issued by the Qustul-Ashkeet Crossing management, both falling under the Ground Transportation and Crossings Unit within the Sudanese Ministry of Transport.

Both documents indicate the circulation of a notification received from the Egyptian side at Arqeen and Qustul Crossings stating that “ as of Saturday, May 10, 2023, all entry to Egypt will require a visa in advance, for all ages, from the Egyptian consulate in Wadi Halfa or in Port Sudan.” This comes in contrast with what has been practiced since the beginning of the crisis, where women of all ages, children under the age of 16, and men over the age of 50 were permitted entry without prior visas. 

The decision comes amidst a series of restrictive measures and bans initiated by the Egyptian government since the end of May. It began with a decision issued on May 25, 2023, to halt the use of temporary travel documents, which served as an alternative document to passports, allowing exceptional border crossings for its bearers since the onset of the armed conflict. Subsequently, on June 4, another decision was issued to cease the acceptance of extended passports; a measure that allowed a 6-month extension on expired passports and was accepted at border crossings. Moreover, it barred the addition of children to their parents’ passports.

Additionally, an internal memo by Egyptair, of which the RPE has obtained a copy, was issued prohibiting the entry of Sudanese citizens and refugees without a security permit. However, the process of obtaining such a permit is yet to be announced.

This series of decisions exacerbates the blockade of Sudanese individuals within the war zone and significantly worsens the already dire humanitarian conditions at the borders. This places millions of lives at risk, subjecting them to danger and besiegement, violating the customary practice among neighboring countries of allowing passage during times of war and crises. Furthermore, it restricts the fundamental human right to freedom of movement.

The conditions at the crossings are also expected to worsen and become more difficult per a report issued by the RPE earlier. In the report, testimonies of stranded individuals at Arqeen crossing highlight the poor humanitarian and service conditions, as well as the health situation. Additionally, there has been an increase in deaths among those stranded due to the aforementioned bans related to emergency travel documents and extended passports.

According to what the RPE has monitored, the process of issuing visas from Wadi Halfa and Port Sudan is extremely slow, with an average of only 10 to 20 visas issued over a waiting period of 10 days, which can extend up to a month in the case of the restricted age group (males aged 16 to 50). With this new decision, the situation is expected to become more difficult and dangerous, as reports from both cities observe overcrowding while individuals seeking transit visas wait for weeks. This comes amidst a sharp rise in food prices and people sleeping in public spaces, with no assistance available in Wadi Halfa except for community-based initiatives to support those waiting there.

Restricting movement amidst forced displacement to escape war, collapsed healthcare system, food insecurity, and the lack of basic services will not stop the movement of the forcibly displaced as much as it increases the risk levels of the journey of displacement and seeking asylum and may even compel the displaced individuals to resort to irregular routes. Moreover, it increases the possibilities of exploitation, extortion, and human trafficking, and exposing children and women to the risks of experiencing formidable violations without legal protection.

At the same time, the Egyptian government has not issued any official statement clarifying the new measures and the reasons behind them. Similarly, international and UN organizations have not commented on the ongoing situation and continuous developments amidst the absence of relief and service organizations on the Sudanese side of the border. Additionally, there are no UNHCR offices at or near the borders after crossing to enable individuals to seek asylum.