About 120,000 people fleeing from the conflict in Sudan are stranded at the country’s border with Egypt after Cairo imposed new entry restrictions based on age and sex, despite the two countries having signed an agreement on freedom of movement and residency without a permit, in 2004.

 

The situation is particularly dire at the border town of Wadi Halfa—a city in the Northern state of Sudan near the border with Egypt.

Thousands of new arrivals are stranded for weeks waiting for Egyptian authorities to issue them visas or for Sudanese authorities to issue them travel documents.

Read: Sudanese fleeing north face arduous crossing into EgyptThe looming humanitarian crisis has been revealed in a report by Refugees International that was released on July 24 to mark 100 days since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15.

Abdullahi Halakhe, the Refugees International Researcher and the author of the report told The EastAfrican that while Egypt initially implemented the 2004 agreement, Cairo is now saying that they have imposed new restrictions to prevent fraud since some of the displaced people have falsified entry documents.“However, some of the alleged fraud is a response to the Egyptian authority’s steps of making entry difficult, knowing full well the breakdown of public order in Sudan. While Sudan shares deep historical connections with Egypt, the tightening entry procedures could create perverse incentives, including people exploring non-legitimate ways to enter Egypt,” said Mr Halakhe.

The report says that new arrivals to Egypt recounted difficulties in finding transport, exorbitant fares, and unpredictable checkpoints. At the border crossing, they face long waits, unsanitary conditions, entry restrictions based on age and sex, visa backlogs, and a lack of necessities and services.“The situation is particularly dire at the border town of Wadi Halfa—a city in the Northern state of Sudan near the border with Egypt. Thousands of new arrivals are stranded for weeks waiting for Egyptian authorities to issue them visas or for Sudanese authorities to issue them travel documents,” said the report.

So far, an estimated 3 million Sudanese have been displaced, with almost 2.5 million displaced internally.

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