CMRS Seminar: Refugees Return From Egypt — Legal Frameworks, Historical Contexts and Contemporary Practices

The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at The American University in Cairo invites the community to an engaging lecture, "Refugees Return From Egypt: Legal Frameworks, Historical Contexts, and Contemporary Practices." This presentation analyzes the return process and its historical context in Egypt, as well as the legal framework governing repatriation under both the 1951 Convention and Egypt's Asylum Law No. 164 of 2024. Egypt has historically served as a safe haven for refugees from the region and currently hosts over one million refugees and asylum-seekers from more than 60 countries. The government has provided refuge to these populations within its capacity and, since October 2018, has included them in the national health scheme. Following the regime change in Syria in December 2024 and the containment of conflict in Sudan to the western region, much of Sudan is now considered sufficiently stable to receive returnees. As a result, voluntary repatriation has re-emerged as a durable solution, with the Government of Egypt offering weekly transportation to the Egyptian-Sudanese border for those opting to return. In line with International Refugee Law, repatriation is conducted on a case-by-case basis to ensure that returns are safe and dignified. About the Speaker Ashraf Milad Ruxi is an Expert Group Member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and currently practices as an asylum lawyer in Cairo. He holds a diploma in forced migration and refugee studies from The American University in Cairo and a master's degree in human rights and democratization from the University of Malta. Since beginning his career in 2000 as a legal advisor for the Refugee Legal Aid Project, he has established his own asylum law practice. His professional experience includes serving as a Rule of Law Officer (UNDP) in Darfur, Field Officer for UNHCR in Tindouf, Algeria, Training Officer in Southern Yemen, Protection Officer in Cairo, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Gaza, and Investigator on the war in Yemen (OHCHR).