UNHCR Egypt hosted the Refugee and Egyptian Women’s Business Fair at the Greek Campus on March 18, 2017. There was a huge selection of art, jewelry, clothes and accessories combined with various delicious types of cuisines from Ethiopia, Syria and Sudan offered by over 85 participants. The event was held to mark International and National Women’s Day, and furthermore to recognize and celebrate women’s socio-economic empowerment and their relentless and important contribution to the economic development of Egypt.

On the February 27, 2017 UNHCR Egypt participated at the International Cultural Festival at the 6th October University. This year, the festival focused on the global refugee crisis.

On February 15, 2017, during the United Nations Secretary-General (UN SG) António Guterres’ visit to Cairo, the UN SG reiterated his commitment to fighting terrorism but underlined also the importance of political solutions to the crisis in Syria and the wider region. He demonstrated his support for the intra-Syrian negotiations expected to begin later this month in Geneva.

On 5 February, 2017, UNHCR Egypt in coordination with the Government of Egypt, inaugurated a new “Schoolyard for All-Houshygama’ana” project implemented in 25 Yanaier School, Borg Al Arab City, Alexandria. The school hosts 264 Syrian refugee children at nursery, primary, middle and high school education levels. The intervention in the school included building a basketball court and a play area for children in the nursery school, creating shady areas and benches that are safe and child-friendly for children to be able to socialize and integrate, in addition to improving plumbing and electricity maintenance.

The Arab Women Organization, in collaboration with Cairo University, organized a march on February 1, 2017 in support of Arab Solidarity with the displaced and refugee women in the Arab region. The march was headed by Ambassador Mervat Tallawy, Director General of AWO, Dr. Gaber Nassar, President of Cairo University, Dr. Mohamed Fayek, President of the National Council for Human Rights, Ms. Maya Moursi, President of the National Council for Women, Yousra and Ilham Shahin (prominent Egyptian actresses) and Kaidar Ayoub from UNHCR.

UNHCR Egypt, in coordination with the Government of Egypt, inaugurated the latest “Schoolyard for All” projects implemented in 'Amr Ibn El As' and 'Omar Ibn el Khattab' Schools in Sheikh Zayed City. The project aims to create child-friendly spaces, allowing local ‪‎Egyptian and refugee school children the chance to play together in a safe environment and foster a better educational atmosphere.

On the January 22, 2017 UNHCR in collaboration with Caritas Alexandria celebrated the successful livelihood projects in Alexandria at the Jesuit Cultural Center as part of UNHCR Egypt’s livelihood program.

UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and to the League of Arab States, Mr. Karim Atassi met with Ms. Inas Fergany, Director of Refugee and Migration Department at League of Arab States, on January 15, 2017. The meeting started by remarking on the good relationship that the two institutions have been developing over the last two years. Subsequently it touched on the areas of cooperation for 2017, which included the follow-up on the Global Compact on responsibility sharing for refugees that should be adopted in 2018, the Arab Convention on Regulating the Refugee situation in the Arab World and the necessity to move forward with developing a National Consultative Asylum Law for the member states part of the Arab League.

On the January 4, 2017, UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and to the League of Arab States, Mr. Karim Atassi met with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, H.E. Mr. Aboul Gheit, to discuss cooperation in regards to the current regional refugee situation. During the meeting, the Secretary General stressed the need to strengthen the existing cooperation between both institutions and highlighted the importance of capacity building of the League of Arab States on issues related to refugees as well as the importance of the adoption of Arab Convention on regulating the refugee situation; that is being discussed among the member states. H.E Mr. Aboul Gheit acknowledged UNHCR’s efforts in favor of refugees worldwide and in particular in the Arab region.

UNHCR Community Support Programmes (CSPs) on December 29, 2016, held reflective and informative training sessions on the experience of engaging with host and refugee communities in Egypt. The sessions reiterated the objectives of the projects, reviewed their processes, and explored new possibilities.