Cairo said it facilitated the entry of over 16,000 foreign nationals from Sudan into Egypt since deadly fighting erupted in their country in mid-April, the official spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Ahmed Abu-Zeid, stated on Thursday.
“Egyptian efforts to facilitate the crossing of refugees from Sudan over the past few days have resulted in the entry of over 16,000 foreign nationals, including 14,000 Sudanese, as of 27 April,” he said.
The 2,000 non-Sudanese foreigners are from 50 different countries and six international organizations, the spokesperson added.
He then affirmed that efforts continue around the clock to receive citizens fleeing military conflict, alleviate their suffering and provide them with necessary humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian government stated that Cairo “is making every effort, at the diplomatic and political levels, to support international attempts to stop the violence and conflict currently taking place in Sudan.”
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said “the Egyptian state is following developments in Sudan with great concern.”
He also noted that since the start of the crisis, Egyptian institutions have been actively working to facilitate the safe return of Egyptian expats in Sudan.
Madbouly thanked the members of the Egyptian diplomatic and consular missions in Sudan, including the defense attaché, for their efforts in securing the return of Egyptians in conflict zones. He said that they “perform their work under very difficult and complex circumstances to secure the return of the Egyptians who are in areas of conflict.”
The Prime Minister then extended his condolences to the Foreign Ministry and the family of Mohamed Al-Gharawi, the assistant administrative attaché at the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum, who was killed on Monday while carrying out evacuation procedures for Egyptian citizens.
Thursday’s cabinet meeting also discussed measures to evacuate the 5,000 Egyptian students who are trying to leave Sudan amid ongoing clashes.
