The Egyptian authorities announced that, starting from Saturday, they have introduced new procedures that oblige all Sudanese wishing to enter their lands to obtain a prior entry visa, justifying this by facing “illegal” activities that included fraud.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, Egypt has hosted about 200,000 Sudanese, most of whom entered through the land borders between the two countries.
In the past, the Egyptian authorities excluded Sudanese women, children under sixteen, and the elderly over fifty, from the requirement to obtain a prior entry visa.
A statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the authorities had “introduced regulatory procedures based on automated (automated) visas,” noting that these measures… aim to set a regulatory framework for the entry of Sudanese brothers into Egypt after more than 50 days have passed since the crisis “in their country.”
She explained that the step does not aim to “prevent or limit the number of Sudanese citizens arriving,” but rather comes after “it was noticed during the last period that illegal activities were spread by individuals and groups on the Sudanese side of the border, which forged entry visas to Egypt for the purpose of profit, taking advantage of the need Sudanese citizens to come to Egypt and the good intentions of the Egyptian side” in absorbing “the large flows of arrivals.”
Battles have been taking place in Sudan over power for nearly two months between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, which have so far resulted in the killing of 1,800 people, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). However, the actual number of victims may be much higher, according to aid agencies and international organizations.
According to the International Organization for Migration of the United Nations, the conflict has caused the displacement of about two million people, including more than 476,000 who have crossed into neighboring countries.
The Foreign Ministry stated that “Egypt has received more than 200,000 Sudanese citizens since the outbreak of the crisis (…) and these numbers are added to the approximately 5 million Sudanese citizens who were already present” before the recent conflict.
During the past two days, many users of social networks and some Sudanese websites and newspapers circulated press releases issued by the administrations of the Qastal and Arqin border crossings with Egypt, stating that the Egyptian authorities had notified them that “entering Egypt is not allowed except after obtaining a prior visa for all age groups and for both sexes.”
In its statement, the Foreign Ministry affirmed that the consulates in Sudan were provided with “the necessary electronic devices to implement these procedures in an accurate, fast and secure manner, ensuring the orderly arrival of Sudanese citizens to Egypt.”
