The Refugee Platform in Egypt calls on the Prime Minister, before August 21st, 2026, to intervene urgently to avoid ambiguous institutional conditions that could consequently violate constitutional rights and international obligations; and to suspend the implementation of the executive regulations until transitional plans are clarified and the necessary legislative and institutional conditions are put into action.<\/b><\/p>\n
RPEGY expresses our deep concern regarding the state of confusion and uncertainty prevailing among refugees and asylum seekers, as the Prime Minister\u2019s Decision No. 1568 of 2026 that concerns the implementing regulations of the Law on Asylum for Foreigners is set to enter into force on August 21st, 2026. This entry into force comes amid a lack of sufficient clarity regarding the mechanisms for the transfer of responsibilities from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs, and the absence of official clarifications guaranteeing the continuity of international protection during the transitional phase.<\/span><\/p>\n In recent weeks, RPEGY has received dozens of inquiries from refugees and asylum seekers regarding the outcome of new asylum applications, the status of pending cases, the continued validity of UNHCR documents, and the authority responsible for receiving asylum applications once the law enters into force. These questions reflect a state of legal uncertainty that requires urgent attention, particularly since the right of access to asylum procedures constitutes the cornerstone of international protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Although the law has granted the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs the authority to receive and adjudicate applications, its ability to exercise these powers is contingent upon the completion of its institutional structure, including its formation; the establishment of its technical secretariat; the definition of its operating procedures; and the provision of human resources required. As of the release of this statement, only the appointment of the committee\u2019s chair was announced while the remaining elements of its operational readiness were not finalized. This development alone raises serious questions regarding which entity will be responsible for receiving applications during this phase and how the continuity of protection procedures will be ensured.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the decision regulating the executive regulations required the Standing Committee, upon its issuance, to begin arrangements for joint cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other international organizations, the committee was also tasked with establishing the necessary mechanisms and measures to carry out its duties in coordination with UNHCR. This coordination should have involved the transfer of data on asylum seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR within a period not exceeding six months. Furthermore, the decision completely failed to specify the entity responsible for receiving new asylum applications submitted after the decision takes effect. Moreover, the decision failed to outline a clear procedural framework for handling new asylum seekers during the transition of authority, thereby creating precarious conditions that raise genuine concerns regarding the emergence of a procedural and institutional vacuum that would hinder asylum seekers\u2019 ability to access fundamental international protection mechanisms in a timely manner.<\/span><\/p>\n The precarity is not limited to the process for accepting new applications; it also extends to the status of current UNHCR cardholders. Article 2 of the Executive Regulations stipulates that refugee and asylum-seeker cards issued by UNHCR for limited periods remain valid and requires holders to submit those cards to the Standing Committee for the necessary procedures to be taken at least one month before the expiration date. Article 2 also required anyone whose documents had already expired to notify the committee within six months of the decision\u2019s effective date.<\/span><\/p>\n Nevertheless, this procedural obligation presupposes the existence of a fully constituted Standing Committee; a technical secretariat capable of receiving applications; a designated headquarters; as well as clear procedures for handling expired cards. As of the release of this statement, none of these elements were announced, leaving holders of expired or soon-to-expire cards facing a legal obligation they cannot fulfill and a tangible risk of losing their legal documents without an alternative authority to turn to along with the consequent risk of detention, deportation, or denial of basic services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The ambiguity surrounding the data transfer process itself also raises serious concerns among asylum seekers and refugees, as Article 3 of the Executive Regulations requires the committee to receive data on asylum seekers and refugees from UNHCR within a six-month period that is subject to extension without providing definitive clarification on the nature of the data being transferred. Stakeholders do not know whether this data consists merely of statistical information; represents existing legal statuses; or comprises case files that should be resumed from where they were left off from. Nor does the transitional framework clarify whether asylum seekers whose applications are still under review will be subject to re-registration, interviews, or assessments starting from the beginning of the process again. This ambiguity creates widespread legal uncertainty, particularly for those whose daily lives depend on the de facto recognition of UNHCR documents by security and administrative authorities as well as service providers. The ambiguity also reduces their legal status to mere transferred data lacking the safeguards they previously enjoyed.<\/span><\/p>\n The challenges posed by this issue are compounded when it comes to the practical aspects of document recognition for example: although Article 2 of the Executive Regulations stipulates the extension of the validity of UNHCR cards for limited periods, the article fails to require field-level implementing agencies, specifically police stations, passport and immigration offices, civil registry offices, and government service providers, to effectively recognize these cards throughout the transitional period. Article 2 also did not include the issuance of unified implementation guidelines to ensure that formal recognition is enforced consistently. This issue takes on extremely grave ramifications in light of the incidents of arrest and detention, as well as forced deportations, targeting thousands of refugees and asylum seekers despite their possession of valid official documents issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These incidents demonstrate how tacit recognition of the validity of these cards remains insufficient in the absence of clear procedural mechanisms to ensure its translation into uniform practice materially.<\/span><\/p>\n RPEGY insists that the continued role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during the current or planned transitional phase is an essential guarantee for the continuity of international protection. Additionally, the UNHCR\u2019s continued role prevents any interruption in asylum procedures or any institutional vacuum that could occur and negatively affect the material conditions of asylum seekers and refugees, a development that has already taken place.<\/span><\/p>\n RPEGY also emphasizes the need for all documents issued by the committee during the transitional phase to be fully recognized by all administrative, security, and judicial authorities, in order to preserve the legal status of refugees and asylum seekers and to prevent any negative consequences that may result from the transfer of jurisdiction.<\/span><\/p>\n These demands are based on the provisions of the Egyptian Constitution, particularly Article 93, which binds the state to the international human rights conventions, covenants, and charters it has ratified, which are binding under Egyptian law. The demands are also based on Egypt\u2019s obligations under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, particularly Article 33, which establishes the principle of non-refoulement and prohibits the return of any person to a place where their life or freedom may be at risk. Respect for this principle is not limited to refraining from deportation; it also requires ensuring the existence of effective and accessible asylum procedures that guarantee anyone seeking international protection the opportunity to access the relevant authorities and submit their application before any action is taken against them that may infringe upon their liberty or lead to their deportation.<\/span><\/p>\n In an effort to ensure the orderly transition of asylum responsibilities, protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and avoid any gap in international protection while remaining in line with RPEGY\u2019s role in discussing the provisions of both the asylum law and its implementing regulations, the Refugee Platform in Egypt calls on the relevant authorities to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Refugee Platform in Egypt emphasizes that the temporary suspension of the program\u2019s implementation does not constitute an obstacle to the development of the asylum system; rather, it is a necessary investment in building a robust national system that earns the trust of both the international community and forcibly displaced people. RPEGY expresses its full readiness to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders and independent experts to contribute in this consultative process; in a manner that ensures a balance between national sovereignty and international obligations while also guaranteeing that the new system will be capable of providing effective as well as sustainable protection to vulnerable groups, without replicating current disparities or creating new humanitarian crises.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Refugee Platform in Egypt calls on the Prime Minister, before August 21st, 2026, to intervene urgently to avoid ambiguous institutional conditions that could consequently violate constitutional rights and international obligations; and to suspend the implementation of the executive regulations until transitional plans are clarified and the necessary legislative and institutional conditions are put into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":27410,"template":"","meta":{"editions-author":[],"pdf-attach":"","map":""},"editions_tags":[],"editions_categories":[1825],"class_list":["post-27404","editions","type-editions","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","editions_categories-statements"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Refugee Platform in Egypt\u2019s Demands<\/b><\/h2>\n
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