Alarming figures released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveal that a staggering 10.7 million people, including 9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), have been uprooted by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The crisis, the world’s largest displacement, underscores the pressing need for increased humanitarian efforts and global attention.
Approximately 9 million displaced individuals face severe shortages of essentials within Sudan, exposing them to disease, malnutrition, and violence.
Over 1.7 million Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries, with Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt hosting the majority. The remaining displaced have fled to Ethiopia, Libya, and the Central African Republic, intensifying humanitarian needs in these fragile regions.
Armed clashes in Sudan over the past nine months have forcibly displaced over six million people, compounding the existing three million internally displaced. Urgent humanitarian action and global engagement are crucial to address this unprecedented displacement crisis.
The UN OCHA’s report on January 25, 2024, estimated 9.05 million IDPs as of December 31, 2023.
The IOM has initiated a Crisis Response Plan for Sudan, seeking USD 168 million to expand its response. The conflict has devastated critical infrastructure, limiting access to necessities and life-saving services.
The destruction has created conditions for disease outbreaks, hunger, and malnutrition, disproportionately affecting women and girls who are more vulnerable to gender-based violence.
With life-saving aid, the IOM has assisted nearly 1.2 million people, including over 650,000 in Sudan.
Support includes protection services, healthcare, emergency shelter, cash-based aid, water, hygiene kits, and transportation. The latter has enabled almost 150,000 displaced individuals to reach safe locations in neighboring countries, accessing humanitarian services in secure environments.
The IOM urges sustained international support to address Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, emphasizing the immediate need for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians.
The organization calls on all conflict parties to facilitate unhindered access for humanitarian aid workers to reach those in need.
