For the second consecutive year, Sudan has been ranked at the top of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) 2025 watchlist of global humanitarian crises, followed by Gaza and the West Bank, Myanmar, Syria, and South Sudan.
The IRC, based in New York, began compiling the annual watchlist over 15 years ago as a planning tool, but its chief executive, David Miliband, emphasized that it now serves as a global call to action. The organization’s report highlighted that 305.1 million people worldwide are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, a sharp increase from 77.9 million in 2015. The 20 countries listed on the IRC watchlist account for 82% of the global need.
Miliband called the figures “crushing” and pointed out the paradox of having more resources available than ever before to address crises, yet the gap between humanitarian need and funding is growing wider.
The report describes the humanitarian situation in Sudan as the worst since records began, with the country representing 10% of global humanitarian needs, despite being home to just 1% of the world’s population. The crisis stems from a conflict that erupted in April 2023 between General al-Burhan’s (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), initially triggered by a power struggle ahead of a planned transition to civilian governance. The war has led to the world’s largest displacement crisis.
The full list of countries featured in the IRC’s 2025 watchlist includes: Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Mali, Somalia, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Yemen.
