Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Monday with Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), during his visit to Cairo, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry.
“The meeting touched on ways to enhance cooperation between Egypt and the UNHCR, in light of the considerable burden borne by Egypt, as a destination for refugees from many countries, who live side by side with the Egyptian people as guests” according to the presidency’s spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy.
Fahmy added that the meeting also reviewed developments pertinent to displacement cases from Sudan in light of the ongoing crisis.
President Al-Sisi stressed the importance of addressing the issue of refugees and all forms of displacement through a comprehensive approach that targets the root causes of crises related to conflict resolution challenges, as well as realizing security and political stability and comprehensive sustainable development.
Grandi appreciated Egypt’s intensive efforts to help resolve the crisis and restore security and stability in Sudan. He also expressed that he valued Egypt’s decades-long cooperation with UNHCR and the efforts it exerts at the international level, in light of the mounting global refugee crisis.
The UNHCR commissioner confirmed the entity’s interest to strengthen cooperation with Egypt, noting its key role at the regional and international levels. He expressed the UNHCR’s appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to host large numbers of refugees from different nationalities.
He also referred to his visit to the crossings on the Egyptian-Sudanese border, during which he saw the tremendous effort of the relevant Egyptian authorities in cooperation with the UN organizations and the Egyptian Red Crescent, to assist the Sudanese people and different nationalities, stressing that the international community and donors must help refugee-hosting countries that are affected by human displacement situations.
