House gives its final approval to refugee bill following three days of discussions

House gives its final approval to proposed refugee bill: The House of Representatives has voted in favor of a government-drafted bill that aims to establish a legal framework for refugees’ status, rights and obligations, after the law received preliminary approval on Sunday. The law’s executive regulations will be issued in six months.

What it entails: The 39-article bill proposes creating a permanent committee for refugee affairs headed by the prime minister to handle all refugee-related matters, including managing data and statistics. The committee will be exclusively responsible for refugee affairs, processing asylum requests, cooperating with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and ensuring the provision of support, care, and services to refugees and asylum seekers. The law’s executive regulations will specify the committee’s other powers and responsibilities in detail.

The law also recognizes a number of rights for refugees, including obtaining a travel document issued by the Interior Ministry, performing religious rites, owning fixed or movable assets, practicing free professions and employment, receiving appropriate healthcare, and their children being granted basic education, MP Ahmed El Awadi said. The MP added that refugees will not live in isolated places or in camp cities, but they will instead be integrated into Egyptian society “as long as they respect internal laws and social values.”

The first of its kind: The new law is the first piece of domestic legislation that regulates the affairs of refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt, El Awadi said following the House’s vote on the bill.

ALSO- The House also greenlit a EUR 1.8 mn grant agreement to support people with disabilities, with Italy set to provide EUR 1.65 mn and the Social Solidarity Ministry providing EUR 181k.

AND- The newly amended draft Criminal Procedures Law will be discussed for a third week, before then being put up for a preliminary cote, House Speaker Hanafy Gebaly said

The House will reconvene on 1 December.