Hundreds of Sudanese nationals started their voluntary trip back to their country from Egypt on Monday, leaving Cairo’s Ramses Station on a train specially arranged for them.
This repatriation program is an initiative made by the authorities of both Egyptian and Sudanese to help those who escaped Sudan as a result of the outbreak of armed conflict in April 2023.
After a bit more than a year, the event is a step towards home more than a year after the escape of the Sudanese from the clashes in Khartoum and other areas. Many of them have taken refuge in Egypt for a while.
Egyptian officials cooperated closely with the Sudanese consular staff as well as the humanitarian organizations to make the return process easy. They provided assistance to the departing people, took care of their documentation, and offered some basic medical treatment during the journey.
This return to the homeland is part of a larger plan to ensure the safe return of the displaced people, who will be supported by this strategy. The operation was under the watchful eye of international and Sudanese humanitarian organizations that also ensured the safety of the whole operation according to the prescribed safety protocols.
The train route starts in Cairo, passes through Aswan, crosses into northern Sudan, and ends in Wadi Halfa.
According to the United Nations, the conflict in Sudan has displaced over 10 million people both within and outside the country, and Egypt is the country that hosts the majority of the Sudanese refugees. With the help of this initiative, one of the first major voluntary departure projects will take place after the start of the battle.
Despite the difficulties caused by the security situation in Sudan with the fighting that continues in various places, the areas in the north of the country appear relatively calm, so limited return operations are possible. The two governments gave emphasis that participating is a voluntary act and that there would not be any forced deportations.
The accomplishment of this first attempt at return will guide later repatriation stages, which will be affected by security updates and the available capacity for operations. Other return missions are likely to be scheduled in the next few weeks if the situation within Sudan improves.
