Syrian refugees hopeful as Egypt eases coronavirus restrictions

Amr Emam

Jun 29, 2020

Syrian refugee Adel Bazmawi, 21, a co-founder and coach of the Syrian Sports Academy, works at a restaurant in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on January 4, 2018.
The academy is squeezed into just 30 square metres (320 square feet), in a modestly equipped hall at the bottom of a residential building in the Alexandria neighbourhood. The academy's founders began the project in 2016 with just 3,000 Egyptian pounds (about $430 at the time).
/ AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED — Syrian refugee Adel Bazmawi, 21, co-founder and coach of the Syrian Sports Academy, works at a restaurant in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on Jan. 4, 2018. — KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

CAIRO — Soon after hearing about the government's decision to ease COVID-19 restrictions as of June 27, Ahmed al-Deeb called some of the workers he laid off three months ago and asked them to return to work.

Deeb, who owns a Syrian restaurant called al-Rayes Fawaz in the crowded Giza neighborhood of Faisal, had dismissed two-thirds of his workers in March.

“Things will apparently go back to normal,” Deeb told Al-Monitor. “This will open the door for the Syrians to go back to work.”

Syrian refugees are hopeful that Egypt's easing of COVID-19 restrictions will help them recoup some of the losses they have sustained in the past months.

Syrian refugees hopeful as Egypt eases coronavirus restrictions

Syrian refugees in Egypt have arguably suffered the most from the restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but with the recent lifting some of those measures, they may get a chance at economic recovery.

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