Wadi Halfa – Sudanese stranded in Wadi Halfa, near the border with Egypt, are suffering from dire humanitarian conditions as the city overflows and prices soar. It is said that it takes three months to get a visa to Egypt.
Osman Ali Wadi told Radio Tabanga from Halfa that about 5,000 people gather daily in front of the Egyptian embassy to apply for and receive visas.
„The embassy forces visa applicants to prove their financial ability to stay in Egypt. The whole procedure now takes three months.”
Cairo’s decision on June 10 to oblige all Sudanese to obtain a visa to enter Egypt* has seriously complicated the situation. „Entry procedures at Orgin Crossing have become more complicated.”
Most of the stranded people live in schools and government offices in Wadi Halfa, where a bed in a simple hotel costs SDG 3,000, he added. „The cost of renting a house has gone up from SDG 10,000 to SDG 40,000, exploiting the needs of stranded people.”
He criticized the price disparity in various shops, despite the fact that Egyptian goods, including bread made from Egyptian flour, are available duty-free.
The source further warned of water and power cuts due to increasing pressure in the city. „Water supply comes twice a week, but power outages have increased due to population density in the city,” he said.
„Earlier this month, we also witnessed severe shortage of cooking gas, but the crisis eased as exports came in from Port Sudan.”
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Wadi Halfa Hospital is overflowing with patients. „The dialysis complex is in danger of closing because it has run out of supplies.”
„UN organizations have once distributed food to people stranded in the city,” he said.
In May, about 30 buses escaped from the Sudanese Daily arrivals at Wadi Halfa. At that time, it took one month for men between the ages of 16 and 50 to get an entry visa.
The young Sudanese began waiting at the border Free English language lessons For the waiting children.
UN agencies have assessed The number of people stranded in Wadi Halfa is 12,000.
According to Egyptian officials, more than 250,000 Sudanese have crossed the border since fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces on April 15.* In 2004, Egypt and Sudan signed the so-called Four Freedoms Convention, allowing citizens between the two „sister countries” to move freely, as well as to work and own property without special permits. However, it soon became clear that Sudanese men still needed visas to cross the northern border. In 2018, officials in Cairo requested amendments to certain sections of the agreement, including official Restricts the entry of Sudanese to Egypt.