Egypt rejects European Union's plans for refugee camps on Egyptian shores

Egypt has categorically rejected a proposal by some European countries to create camps for the reception of refugees and asylum-seekers in non-European countries south of the Mediterranean.

During a meeting with European diplomats in Cairo on 10 September, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said his country refuses the mere discussion of such a proposal under all circumstances.

Egypt, he said, bears a huge refugee burden already.

The Egyptian rejection comes as some European nations actively discuss and advance plans for the creation of what has come to be known as "return hubs".

These are deportation or repatriation centres that could receive irregular migrants and rejected asylum-seekers who cannot be returned to their home countries.

The European nations advancing these plans, including Germany; Austria; the Netherlands, and Greece, suggest creating the aspired centres in African countries, including in North African countries southern Mediterranean.

Discussions about the creation of such hubs come almost four months after the European Parliament approved new legislation that allows member states to establish these centres in non-EU countries via agreements, provided that human rights and international law standards are met.

The new legislation and the aforementioned discussions highlight the intensity of the refugee and asylum problem in Europe, analysts in Cairo said.

Nevertheless, the same discussions also come at a tough time for North Africa where the refugee problem is equally intense, being exacerbated by escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, they added.

"These conflicts have put North African countries at the receiving end of a large number of refugees," Mona Omar, a former assistant to the Egyptian foreign minister and a retired ambassador, told The New Arab.

This refugee burden, she added, comes with heavy economic pressures, given the fact that North African governments have to provide these refugees with all types of support, including food, healthcare and education.

"These pressures translate into higher inflation, public anger, and consequently domestic security threats," she said.

Heavy burden

Egypt hosts millions of refugees already, highlighting one of the reasons for its rejection of European discussions about the establishment of return hubs in it, observers said.

Sitting at the crossroads of a series of regional and continental conflicts, the Arab country is one of the world's largest refugee receiving states, they added.

Leading economic Khaled al-Shafie said Egypt's reception of such a large number of refugees puts a drain on its economy.

"The refugee burden saps the economy in general by depleting state resources and overstretches basic services," he told TNA.

He attributed part of Egypt's current economic hardships to the same burden.

Egypt hosts over 10 million refugees and asylum-seekers who have converged into it from neighbouring and regional states, escaping conflict and economic hardships back home, according to the Egyptian government.

Despite this, only 1 million of the foreigners the populous Arab country hosts are registered with the United Nations refugee agency, with the Sudanese constituting the largest number of these refugees and asylum-seekers.

Egypt prides itself, meanwhile, on building its distinct refugee and asylum-seekers hosting model by allowing those foreigners to live side by side with its own citizens, sharing services offered to these citizens by the Egyptian government.

Over the years, however, the same pride has shrivelled up to give way to a feeling of the real burden of hosting such a huge number of refugees, comparable to almost 9% of Egypt's overall population of 120 million.

Such a feeling of being weighed down by the refugee burden also came as the Egyptian economy felt the heat from regional unrest, including because of the war in Gaza, the current war in Iran and the unfolding unrest in the Red Sea.

This might explain the Egyptian leadership's repeated plea for the international community to share with Egypt its refugee burden, analysts said.

Treating symptoms

Whether the Egyptian government's refusal to host refugee deportation centres will affect relations with the EU remains to be seen.

Apart from its geostrategic importance, its influence in the Arab and Islamic worlds, the presence of the Suez Canal in it, and its role in brokering regional peace, Egypt acquires part of its appeal to Europe from its ability to function as a barrier for waves of illegal migrants to Europe, specialists said.

Perhaps the same appeal was the reason why the continent was keen to strengthen its relations with Cairo in different fields over the years, something that has grown quite noticeable in the past few years, they added.

The two sides upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024.

The first Egypt-EU summit was held in Brussels in 2025 to seek ways to help the economically-struggling Arab country, in the light of a 2024 multibillion dollar aid package.

The second Egypt-EU summit is expected to be held in Egypt next year. The third edition of the Egypt-EU Investment Conference is also expected to be held on the sidelines of the summit.

During his 10 September meeting with European diplomats, the Egyptian foreign minister said his country is committed to managing the refugee issue in a comprehensive manner.

He called for addressing the root causes of migration by advancing development, creating jobs and enhancing border management.

In Cairo, analysts believe that EU states are only treating the symptoms, rather than the cause by planning to create repatriation centres in other countries.

Addressing the root causes of the refugee problem, they added, would come through a more active European involvement in conflict resolution in refugee-sending countries.

"You can't prevent migration waves to Europe without putting an end to conflicts in countries sending these migrants or refugees," Ambassador Omar, the former assistant to the Egyptian foreign minister, said.

"This is why I believe the creation of the planned return hubs in non-European states will solve the problem as long as these conflicts keep raging," she added.