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Duke Restricts Travel to Egypt

Duke's International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) has placed a restriction on travel to Egypt by University constituents. 

"After careful consideration of the various governmental warnings and the latest advice from International SOS to defer all but essential travel to Egypt, the decision to temporarily restrict travel was imposed today," said Christy Parrish Michels, travel policy administrator. 

The Duke in the Arab World GEO program ended June 26 and DukeEngage participants in-country ended their activities and left the country July 2. 

However, there are a few undergraduates participating in independent activity or research that Duke is working with to ascertain how best to close out their activity and depart the country until the civil unrest has subsided. 

"There is a careful balance to ascertain whether the students in-country can safely carry out their day-to-day work.  If they can’t do that, then we have to ask should they be exposed to the risk of the situation getting worse," said Michels.  Members of ITOC voted that the risk was too great and the restriction was imposed effective immediately.

The International Travel Oversight Committee will continue to monitor the situation in Egypt, seeking guidance from ISOS and in consultation with programmatic leaders and in consideration of various governmental warnings and advisories.  This restriction will be thoroughly reviewed on Aug. 1, and if change is warranted it will be modified at that time.

For more information, contact Christy Parrish Michels at christy.parrish@duke.edu.