Country Hub

Security Services in Egypt

High risk

Operating in Egypt? Speak with a security consultant.

Egypt is the most populous Arab country and a significant commercial hub, with major tourism, energy, and logistics sectors. Cairo is a working commercial city hosting international corporations, embassies, and a large expatriate community. The risk environment requires professional management on several dimensions: terrorism, state security sensitivity, specific crime patterns, and one of the most severe drug law regimes in the world.

FCDO advises against all travel to areas of northern Sinai and the Egypt-Libya border region. Against-essential-travel advisories apply to parts of the Western Desert and areas near the Sudan border. General caution is advised across Egypt.

The Alexandria shooting pattern

Two shooting incidents in Alexandria, in May 2023 and October 2024, targeted individuals with Israeli or dual-national identity. These were the first terrorism-category incidents targeting foreign nationals in Egypt’s second city in the current period. They are not isolated data points: they indicate a threat vector in a city that was previously considered lower risk than Cairo.

Operational planning for Egypt should include Alexandria in threat assessments for any visit to that city, not treat it as incidental background risk.

State security sensitivity

Egypt is a security state with a documented history of detaining foreign nationals on broad legislative grounds. British nationals have been held in Egypt without transparent legal process. The risk is not routine for standard corporate travellers but is elevated for journalists, researchers, NGO workers, and individuals who have publicly expressed views on Egyptian politics, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or human rights.

Pre-travel social media review and a clear understanding of the legal environment are appropriate for any Egypt deployment.

Sexual assault risk at Red Sea resorts

FCDO has documented sexual assaults at Red Sea resort properties by hotel staff. The risk affects female travellers at resort destinations outside Cairo. Hotel selection and in-resort protocols are part of a complete Egypt risk assessment for any traveller, not only corporate visitors.

Drug law briefing

Egypt’s drug laws require specific briefing for every traveller. Life imprisonment and the death penalty apply. Travellers carrying medication of any kind must verify its legal status in Egypt before travel. This is not a risk category that is mitigated by professional security: it is a compliance matter that requires personal legal verification.

Source: FCDO Travel Advice: Egypt (2025). OSAC Egypt Country Security Report 2024. US State Department Egypt Travel Advisory (2025). Egyptian Narcotics Control Authority documentation (2024).

Coverage

Cities We Cover

Cairo

High risk

Egypt's capital and primary commercial city. FCDO documented shooting in Alexandria in 2024 killed an Israeli-Canadian national. A 2023 Alexandria attack killed two Israeli tourists. Detention risk exists for social media criticism of the Egyptian government. Egypt imposes the death penalty or life imprisonment for drug offences: specific briefing is required for all travellers.

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Legal Framework

Security Regulations

Firearms

Egypt's private security industry is heavily regulated by the state. Armed private security by non-government entities is restricted. Commercial armed close protection is not freely available in the market. Where armed protection is required, it is typically provided through formally approved channels involving Egyptian police or approved state-linked security companies. Foreign nationals carrying firearms independently is not legally available. International teams operating in Egypt should work through established operators with clear documentation of their government approvals.

Licensing

Egypt's Ministry of Interior oversees private security licensing. The regulatory environment is restrictive and politically sensitive. Operators approved for commercial work typically have government relationships. Pre-deployment verification should include checking current operational approval rather than relying solely on company registration documents.

Foreign Operators

Foreign security operators face significant restrictions on operational activity in Egypt. All foreign security work requires coordination with Egyptian authorities. Any unapproved security activity risks being treated as an intelligence concern by Egyptian state security. Pre-deployment legal advice and operator selection from established, government-approved firms is not optional for Egypt.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

In May 2023, a gunman at a police station checkpoint in Alexandria shot and killed two Israeli tourists and wounded four others. In October 2024, a separate shooting in Alexandria killed an Israeli-Canadian national. Both incidents occurred in a city that is not normally considered a primary terror target within Egypt. The attacks have been attributed to individuals with Islamist motivation targeting foreign nationals perceived as Israeli or Western. They indicate that Alexandria, despite its tourist economy, carries a specific attack risk for foreign nationals that differs from the broader tourism environment.

Egyptian law has been used to prosecute individuals for social media posts critical of the government, the military, or President Sisi. Foreign nationals including British nationals have been detained and held for extended periods under broad counter-terrorism legislation. The risk is most acute for journalists, activists, and those with high-profile social media presence. For corporate travellers, the practical precaution is a social media review prior to Egypt travel and avoidance of any posts that could be construed as politically critical of the Egyptian state during or after the visit.

Egypt imposes the death penalty for drug trafficking and life imprisonment for possession of certain quantities. The threshold for trafficking-level quantities under Egyptian law is low by international standards. Any traveller with prescription medication must carry original packaging and a doctor’s letter. Over-the-counter medications available in the UK may be controlled substances in Egypt. A pre-travel medication review and legal check is required for anyone carrying any pharmaceutical product into Egypt.

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