MIGRATION MOVEMENTS: SHAPING THE MEDITERRANEAN REALM

Egypt is increasingly a destination and transit point for migrants from Africa and the MENA region, while simultaneously seeing a surge in its own citizens emigrating to the EU due to severe economic instability. The document details how Egypt leverages its geopolitical position to secure EU financial support and strategic partnerships, primarily focusing on curbing irregular migration and managing refugees. It highlights the critical impact of IMF-mandated austerity, currency devaluation, and climate change—specifically sea-level rise in the Nile Delta and water security threats from Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam—as primary drivers of displacement and emigration.

• Egypt's economic landscape is marked by extreme instability, characterized by a $165 billion debt and a currency that has lost over 500% of its value over eight years. This has led to record-high inflation, reaching 32.6% in 2022, and a surge in Egyptian nationals applying for asylum in EU+ countries.
• Climate change and water security are significant drivers of migration. The Nile Delta is highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and temperature increases, while the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) threatens water security; a 2% reduction in Nile water flow could result in the loss of 200,000 acres of irrigated land.
• Egypt serves as a major hub for refugees and asylum seekers, with over 800,000 registered with UNHCR. Sudanese refugees are now the largest group, totaling 519,000 as of October 2024, followed by Syrians at approximately 159,000.
• The 2024 Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between Egypt and the EU includes a 7.4 billion financial and investment support package, with 600 million in grants, including 200 million specifically for migration management. The partnership emphasizes curbing irregular migration and enhancing legal labour mobility.
• Egyptian labour migration is shifting from traditional Gulf destinations toward the EU. While Gulf countries historically hosted one-third of the Egyptian emigrant population, there is an increasing trend toward Europe, facilitated by bilateral agreements with Italy and Greece and programs like THAMM.
• Refugees in Egypt face systemic barriers to basic rights, including limited access to healthcare (often restricted to emergency care for non-nationals) and education, where 54% of newly arrived Sudanese children are reported to be out of school.

APA

Fahmy, A. (2024). MIGRATION MOVEMENTS: SHAPING THE MEDITERRANEAN REALM. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/cfc43836-db9e-4b59-8b0d-72103aee016a/Migration movements EGYPT.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Fahmy, Amina. MIGRATION MOVEMENTS: SHAPING THE MEDITERRANEAN REALM. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2024. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/cfc43836-db9e-4b59-8b0d-72103aee016a/Migration movements EGYPT.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fahmy |first1=Amina |title=MIGRATION MOVEMENTS: SHAPING THE MEDITERRANEAN REALM |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=December 2024 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/cfc43836-db9e-4b59-8b0d-72103aee016a/Migration movements EGYPT.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fahmy2024migration, author = {Fahmy, Amina}, title = {{MIGRATION MOVEMENTS: SHAPING THE MEDITERRANEAN REALM}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/cfc43836-db9e-4b59-8b0d-72103aee016a/Migration movements EGYPT.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }