Egypt Highlights

A Brief Overview of Key Moments in Egypt

1911

Red Crescent established

The Egyptian Red Crescent was founded in 1911 and was recognized by the ICRC twelve years later.

1929

Admission

The Egyptian Red Crescent was admitted into the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) in 1929.

1914

First World War

The ICRC has been operating in Egypt since the First World War, where it visited Prisoners of War (PoWs) on Egyptian soil.

1956

Suez crisis

The ICRC established an office in Port Said governorate, distributing aid and Red Cross messages. It also facilitated the repatriation of thousands of Egyptian PoWs.

1973

The Arab - Israeli Conflict

Through its office in Al-Arish city, the ICRC distributed tons of food and other relief assistance to families in affected areas. The ICRC distributed Red Cross messages that allowed Egyptian detainees to stay in touch with their loved ones. The ICRC further visited detainees and PoWs and helped repatriate them to Egypt.

1980

ICRC office in Al-Arish closed

The ICRC closed its office in Al-Arish city after the Camp David agreement and the subsequent withdrawal of Israeli troops from Sinai.

1983

: ICRC Cairo Delegation

The ICRC established its office in Cairo after signing a headquarters agreement with Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It then expanded its activities in the field of promotion and dissemination of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In the following years, the ICRC expanded its Restoring Family Links (RFL) activities to include migrants separated by armed conflict or other situations of violence.

2017

Relief distribution in Sinai

In partnership with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS), the ICRC started in 2017 distributing food and non-food items to thousands of families in North Sinai.

Insider Tips

What Egypt is known for

Pyramids

Pyramids of Giza

Egypt is home to the Giza pyramids, constructed some 4,500 years ago. The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, is the oldest and only surviving wonder from the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Longest River

River Nile

The Greek historian, Herodotus once said that Egypt is the gift of the Nile. Without the Nile River, all of Egypt would be uninhabitable desert. The ancient Egyptian word for the country was “Kemet”, meaning the land of the black soil, referring to the fertile land on the banks of the Nile caused by the annual flood. This environment allowed Egyptians to plant crops on a mass scale and led to the formation of one of the world’s first and greatest civilizations.

On the Map

Location

Egypt occupies a strategic location in Africa. It extends from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to Sudan in the south, and from the Red Sea in the east to Libya in the west. This geographic position makes Egypt a crossroad between two continents and several geopolitical regions. Egypt is also home to the Suez Canal, which links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

Influence

Role in the Arab world

Egypt has always played a central and influential role in the Arab world, given its status as the most populous Arab country, its geostrategic position and its rich history and enormous cultural influence. Egypt is also home to Al-Azhar, the world's most prestigious seat of Sunni Islamic learning, adding to its influence in the Arab and Muslim world.

Humanitarian Needs

Reuniting Families

Egypt serves as a transit country for migrants from Africa and conflict-stricken countries in the region. These migrants often lose family members on the migration route and seek support in restoring and maintaining their family links. The ICRC provides various services to help maintain family links, including tracing requests, red cross messages and an international phone call service

ICRC Action

ICRC’s operations in Egypt

In Egypt, the ICRC assists people affected by conflict and violence from the broader region, promotes International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with the Egyptian Armed Forces, the judiciary and other institutions, and helps reestablish contact between families and their loved ones separated by conflict, other situations of violence and migration both in Egypt and the region. The ICRC cooperates with healthcare providers to help them boost their emergency response capabilities in different areas such as war surgery, first aid and mass casualty management.

Learn more about ICRC’s humanitarian action in Egypt

ACHIEVEMENTS

Key ICRC milestones in Egypt in 2020

Healthcare

In solidarity with the government of Egypt in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the ICRC donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to the national health system, worth nine million Egyptian pounds. The ICRC also shared its experience and expertise with first responders (ERCS, Egyptian Ambulance Organization, Armed Forces Medical Service) to improve their capacities for emergency response (first-aid, mass casualty management, mental health and psychosocial support).

Assistance

In cooperation with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS), 28,500 families (142,500 individuals) in North Sinai received food parcels, white flour and hygiene kits, while 4,000 families (20,000 individuals) received blankets over the last four years.

Restoring Family Links

In 2020, ICRC Cairo was contacted by some 8,500 people, worked with over 930 families searching for their loved ones, and was able to clarify the fate of 175 of them. The beneficiaries include both Egyptian nationals and, to a large extent, migrants and refugees who fled or transited through countries in conflict, and who are hosted by Egypt.

Promoting IHL

3,422 Egyptian army officers, cadets and soldiers were introduced to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) through 23 dissemination sessions and training courses in the last two years.