Sudan Launches Digital Platform to Facilitate Voluntary Repatriation of Citizens from Egypt

The Sudanese Embassy in Cairo has announced the launch of new facilities designed to organize and streamline the voluntary return of its citizens residing in Egypt. These measures include the inauguration of a dedicated "electronic platform" intended to expedite the procedures for those wishing to return to Sudan.

Context and Official Pledges

This initiative comes on the heels of Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris's visit to Cairo at the end of February, during which he made clear assurances that "there will be no forced return" of Sudanese nationals from Egypt. These pledges were made in response to growing complaints from the Sudanese community in Egypt regarding alleged security harassment and challenges related to legalizing their residency status.

During his visit, Idris mentioned an agreement with the Egyptian government to establish a joint mechanism aimed at releasing detained Sudanese citizens and facilitating prisoner exchanges between the two countries. He also affirmed that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had pledged to regularize the status of Sudanese residents, emphasizing that Egyptian security measures were "routine procedures" not exclusively targeting Sudanese nationals. Idris vehemently denied any talk of "forced return," describing it as an attempt to "sow discord between the two countries."

Inauguration of the "Hope Committee for Voluntary Return" Platform

In this context, Sudanese Ambassador to Cairo, Emad Adawi, announced the launch of an "electronic platform for the Hope Committee for Voluntary Return." This platform aims to organize and facilitate all procedures related to the return of Sudanese residents in Egypt. The Ambassador stated during an Iftar ceremony for the Sudanese community that "the platform allows Sudanese wishing to return to easily register their data."

The Sudanese Embassy activated the electronic platform on Sunday, enabling the "Hope Committee for Voluntary Return" to effectively organize travel operations and determine departure points from Egyptian territory. The "Hope Committee" comprises prominent Sudanese political and community figures.

Objectives and Target Groups of the Initiative

Mohamed Wadaa, head of the "Hope Committee for Voluntary Return," views the platform's launch as "a significant step in organizing voluntary return operations for Sudanese, providing an accurate database that contributes to facilitating travel procedures and coordination with relevant authorities."

Wadaa told Asharq Al-Awsat that the initiative opens the door for all Sudanese categories residing in Egypt who wish to return to their homeland. He affirmed that the platform "provides all data that helps those wishing to return to complete their travel quickly," with a particular focus on individuals who have not regularized their residency status in Cairo and have legal violations. He clarified that "the initiative's priority is to repatriate those with irregularities."

Wadaa added that the initiative is "free of charge," with contributions from Sudanese businessmen, in addition to facilities from Egyptian and Sudanese authorities to provide low-cost transportation. Social media platforms have recently circulated news about the detention of several Sudanese due to their irregular residency status in Egypt, underscoring the importance of this initiative.

Statistics and Previous Initiatives

According to official statistics, over 1.2 million Sudanese have fled to Egypt since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023. This number is in addition to approximately 5 million Sudanese who resided in Egypt before the conflict began, forming a large community facing various challenges.

These new facilities are being implemented in fulfillment of the pledges made during the Sudanese Prime Minister's visit to Cairo, as stated by Makki Al-Maghrabi, Director of the International Relations Unit at the Sudanese Center for Thought and Strategic Studies. Al-Maghrabi said that "the voluntary return of Sudanese receives high-level attention from the Sudanese government, which is working to coordinate with Egyptian authorities to facilitate procedures for those wishing to return."

Al-Maghrabi added that "the new facilities complement a previous initiative where Egyptian authorities provided support for the repatriation of Sudanese, including allocating a train to transport returnees from Cairo to Aswan, before transferring them by bus to northern Sudan." Egyptian authorities launched this initiative last October, contributing to the transport of thousands of families until last December.

Al-Maghrabi also noted that the resumption of direct flights to Khartoum Airport would help expedite the transfer of returnees in the future. Despite these initiatives, Al-Maghrabi points out that "a small number" of the Sudanese community in Egypt wishes to return, due to a significant proportion being tied to study and work within Egypt.