Dr. Ahmed Metwally Abdalla
Researcher in Middle Eastern Studies and Ottoman Manuscripts
In recent years, both Egypt and Türkiye have witnessed a significant influx of refugees, particularly from Syria and Sudan. Türkiye has become a primary destination for Syrian refugees, initially treating them similarly to Turkish citizens, even fast-tracking the process of granting citizenship to a large number of them. In contrast, Egypt allowed Syrians to own property, start businesses, and pursue education in its universities.
In Türkiye, Syrian refugees were granted numerous rights, such as acquiring citizenship and owning property. Over time, however, new social issues emerged, with instances where Syrian nationals owned property while Turkish nationals rented from them. Given the strong sense of nationalism among the Turkish people, this situation has led to increased tensions between some Turks and Syrian refugees, bringing the term “racism” into the public discourse in Türkiye.
On the other hand, following the Sudanese crisis, a significant number of Sudanese refugees fled to Egypt. Historically, conflicts between Egyptians and Sudanese have been rare, given the historical and cultural ties that bind the two peoples. However, the influx of Sudanese refugees has coincided with rising rent prices in Egypt, exacerbated by an ongoing economic crisis, leading some Egyptians to blame Sudanese refugees for these increases.
These events raise important questions: Are the recent social and economic crises in Egypt and Türkiye a direct result of the presence of refugees, or are they natural reactions to the economic and political circumstances in these countries? Is there a deliberate effort by some to use refugees to destabilize these nations internally? Are the conflicts between some locals and refugees being artificially inflated? What will happen to refugees if public pressure increases? What is the fate of Syrian refugees after the anticipated meeting between Erdoğan and Assad?