UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

Their primary purpose at UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, they work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. They also strive to secure lasting solutions.

Historically, UNHCR Branch Office was opened in Cairo in 1954, it worked with stateless persons of Armenian and European origin, followed by large influxes of African, Iraqi and Syrian refugees in subsequent decades. Currently, UNHCR’s work and operations have expanded, mainly focusing on:

• Ensuring that asylum-seekers are able to apply for and have access to protection;
• Supporting the government to provide and develop fair, efficient and high-quality asylum procedures;
• Ensuring that all persons of concern to UNHCR enjoy access to rights, by taking into account age, gender and diversity, and for governments, partners and stakeholders in the region to encourage and facilitate the active participation of persons of concern;
• Raising awareness of the plight of the millions of refugees around the world and placing refugee and asylum issues on the agenda;
• Mobilizing financial and other support for the work of UNHCR worldwide;
• Advising the government, partners and stakeholders on ways in which refugees can be helped to integrate into host communities;
• Advocating for governments to find a solution to the situation of stateless persons within their borders.

What they do

The Government of Egypt authorized UNHCR’s operation in the country in 1954

UNHCR and the signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian Government on 10 February 1954 that authorized its work in the country and outlined the responsibilities of the Government and UNHCR in regard to the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers. Under the agreement, UNHCR carries out asylum activities (reception, registration, documentation, and refugee status determination (RSD)) on behalf of the Government. Each sector in UNHCR has specific responsibilities. Any person recognized as a refugee by UNHCR in Egypt falls under the protection of the Government of Egypt. UNHCR and the Government of Egypt work closely to ensure that all persons of concern are provided adequate access to international protection.

UNHCR seeks one of three durable solutions for refugees and asylum-seekers. These include voluntarily repatriation to the country of origin, local integration in the country of asylum, or resettlement to a third country.

UNHCR Egypt cooperates closely with NGOs who function as operating partners on the ground in the areas of refugee protection and/or public information and awareness raising activities. UNHCR Egypt also regularly engages with ministries, international organizations and other UN agencies.