On 16 December, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ratified Egypt's first asylum law, which transfers responsibility for asylum processing from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to a newly established government body, the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs. According to the government, the law is designed to bring Egypt's asylum procedures in line with international standards. However, rights groups have raised concerns, claiming that the law threatens the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. They point to vague exclusion criteria, the criminalization of irregular entry, and restrictions on refugees' political activities as particularly problematic. Additionally, vaguely defined emergency powers have sparked fears that they could be misused to arbitrarily deny asylum claims. Approximately 800,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the UN Refugee Agency in Egypt.

Sources: Egyptian Official Gazette, Al-Shorouk, The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch

Sudanese refugees fleeing the war in Sudan face worsening conditions in Egypt, including mass arrests and forced deportations. The rights group Amnesty International reported on 19 June that Sudanese nationals fleeing from the ongoing war in Sudan are systematically denied access to the asylum process in Egypt, being instead detained in military facilities near the border and forcibly returned to Sudan without the ability to contest their deportations. Approximately 800 Sudanese nationals were deported between January and March 2024 under such circumstances, placing Sudanese asylum seekers at a heightened risk of exploitation. Egypt introduced strict visa requirements for Sudanese nationals in 2023, following the outbreak of the war in Sudan. This visa policy has severely restricted access to asylum and is estimated to have impacted over 500,000 Sudanese individuals seeking refuge through land crossings into Egypt. 

Sources: Reuters, Amnesty International, Egyptian State Information Service 

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was re-elected for a third term in office, winning 89.6 per cent of the vote in presidential elections held between 10 and 12 December. According to Egypt's National Election Authority, the electoral process was marked by a record turnout of 66.8 per cent. There were no female candidates. International observers noted the smooth execution of the voting process and praised Egypt's efforts in conducting the election. El-Sisi’s win solidifies his position as the country's leader for another six years, starting from April 2024, after already being in power for a decade. As per the Egyptian Constitution, it is anticipated that this will be his last term. However, the landslide victory raises questions about the state of democracy in the country, particularly considering the absence of robust opposition as el-Sisi's authority remains unchallenged and the space for democratic discourse appears to be shrinking.

Sources: Egypt State Information Service (1), Al Jazeera, Egypt Today, Egypt State Information Service (2), African Union, Africa News, Amnesty International, International IDEA

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced on 2 October 2 his intention to run for a third term in the upcoming presidential elections in December. However, his candidacy has not been met without controversy. Ahmed Tantawi, a prominent opposition figure and presidential candidate, announced on 13 October 13 his withdrawal from the race due to alleged harassment and intimidation by authorities. Tantawi stated he failed to secure the 25,000 individual endorsements required to participate in the election, citing a series of obstacles imposed by the authorities, including intimidation tactics, arrests, and even phone hacking. Following Tantawi's exit, only four candidates remain in the presidential race, including President el-Sisi. These incidents have sparked concerns over the transparency and fairness of Egypt's electoral process. Critics suggest that the current regime may be leveraging its power to stifle opposition and restrict competition, casting doubts on Egypt's adherence to democratic norms.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Monitor, National News, The New Arab, France 24