UN Agency Warns of Potential 10 Million Internally Displaced People in Sudan

**Sudan’s Displacement Crisis: A Call for Urgent Global Action**

GENEVA – The United Nations migration agency has issued a dire warning that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan could soon surpass the staggering figure of 10 million, marking the largest displacement crisis globally. The conflict, which erupted in the capital, Khartoum, in April 2023, has rapidly spread, reigniting ethnic violence in the Darfur region and displacing millions.

Mohamed Refaat, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Chief of Mission in Sudan, voiced a poignant question to the international community: “How much suffering and loss of life must the people of Sudan endure before the world takes notice? Isn’t 10 million internally displaced enough to compel urgent global action?” He emphasized that behind the staggering statistic of 10 million lies a profound human tragedy that demands immediate attention.

The IOM reported that the number of IDPs in Sudan reached 9.9 million this week, a significant increase from the 2.8 million already displaced before the conflict. The total number of people forced from their homes stands at around 12 million, with over 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries such as Egypt and Chad.

Refaat highlighted the disproportionate impact of the crisis on women, who make up more than half of the IDPs, and children under five, who account for a quarter. Aid agencies are struggling to meet the escalating needs due to funding shortfalls, hampering efforts to provide adequate shelter, food, and medical assistance.

The long-term implications of this displacement crisis on Sudan’s social and economic fabric are a growing concern. With the U.N. agencies warning that Sudan is at an “imminent risk of famine,” approximately 18 million people are acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children suffering from acute malnutrition.

This unfolding tragedy in Sudan calls for immediate and concerted global action to address the humanitarian needs and to find a sustainable solution to the conflict. The world must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of millions of displaced Sudanese, whose lives have been upended by violence and instability.