The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Sudan displacement higher than projected, humanitarian access thwarted
Humanitarian needs have soared among people displaced by the fighting in Sudan, with refugee numbers on track to surpass projections and aid access still extremely uncertain, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.
“We've already seen over 560,000 people crossing into neighbouring countries; we've seen nearly two million people displaced internally in the country,” said Raouf Mazou, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, after returning from a mission to Sudan.
Since conflict erupted there on 15 April when rival militaries clashed, more than 560,000 people have reached neighbouring countries – with Egypt receiving the highest number, followed by Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic.
One million marker passed
Based on the continuing violence, UNHCR now expects that its previous estimate of one million refugees will be surpassed.
In response to the escalating crisis, UNHCR and other UN agencies, humanitarian partners and host communities have increased efforts to provide emergency shelter, clean water, health care services, psychosocial support and other vital assistance to help displaced populations inside and outside Sudan.
Host communities who have not been affected by the conflict until now are also “seeing the consequences”, Mr. Mazou said. “All are in need of protection and assistance…What is also quite striking and which needs to be underlined is how welcoming the host populations are.”
West Darfur horror
Although the violence has developed across multiple fronts, UNHCR has expressed particular concern about West Darfur. Aid access is “limited”, amid reports of “wanton killings” by “Arab” militia that have been condemned by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
According to UNHCR, 170,000 people have already crossed into Chad, which borders West Darfur. Many, including women and children, have arrived needing treatment for their injuries.
The rainy season has also thwarted aid workers from reaching those crossing the border and transporting them to refugee camps, the UN agency said.
South Sudan returnees
In South Sudan, sparse infrastructure and security concerns represent significant challenges preventing new arrivals from moving on. Much of the assistance they need will have to be airlifted, which is both costly and complex.
In the meantime, UNHCR teams are registering new arrivals, providing them with emergency relief and helping them to reach different locations as quickly as possible.
“This is a country which has received over 120,000 people,” Mr. Mazou said. “It's largely South Sudanese who are living in Sudan, who are going back to their country…They are part of the 800,000 South Sudanese refugees who were in Sudan, but they are now going back.”
Support in all its forms
Capacity at border reception and transit facilities in neighbouring countries have been strained by the sheer numbers of people arriving, leading to overcrowding and further stretching of already limited resources. Those fleeing Sudan arrive exhausted after days or sometimes weeks on the road, shocked by the violence they have witnessed and in need of food, medical care and relief items.
During a donor conference for Sudan in Geneva on 19 June, $1.52 billion in pledges were received against an appeal for $3 billion. The co-organisers were the UN, the European Union and the African Union, as well as Germany, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
-ends-
- Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva
- Medium shot: speakers behind podium at the press conference, screen with speakers, attendee in the foreground
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “The conflict in Sudan started on the 15th of April, a bit more than two months ago. And we've already seen over 560,000 people crossing into neighboring countries. We've seen nearly 2 million people displaced internally in the country.”
- Close shot: attendee taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “We have those who are affected by the conflict but cannot leave. We have those who are now internally displaced, as I said, 2 million people. Then we have those who fled into neighboring countries. And then you have people who are living in part of the country that are not necessarily affected by the conflict, but they are seeing the consequences, the socio-economic consequences of the conflict. But all are in need of protection and assistance.”
- Medium shot: attendees taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “The situation in Darfur is probably the one that is worrying us the most. Access into Darfur is limited, but we are hearing from those who are crossing into Chad, a very difficult situation in Darfur. We are also seeing more and more of those who cross into Chad arriving with injuries.”
- Medium shot: attendees taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “What is also quite striking and which needs to be underlined is how welcoming the host populations are. They are living in very difficult circumstances. The part of the country that is particularly poor and they've also been affected by the conflict in Sudan. The conflict in Sudan is having socio economic consequences on Chad and other countries in the region.”
- Medium shot: moderator taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “The country, which has received the largest number of refugees so far, is Egypt. Egypt has received more than half of the refugees who've moved into neighboring countries.”
- Medium shot: attendees discussing and taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “I was also in South Sudan at the beginning of this month. This is a country which has received over 120,000 people. And as I said, it's largely South Sudanese who are living in Sudan, who are going back to their country. They were refugees in Sudan, they are part of the 800,000 Sudanese, South Sudanese refugees who were in Sudan, but they are now going back to their countries.”
- Medium shot: speakers behind podium at the press conference
- Medium shot: attendee taking notes at the press conference
- Medium shot: speakers behind podium at the press conference, screen with speakers, attendee in the foreground
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC Ebola outbreak: hundreds of suspected cases, no vaccine
A fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has health workers rushing to stop transmission while the roll out of any potential vaccine is months away, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
A UN Human Rights Office report released today covers 19 months of large-scale violations of international law including atrocity crimes, from October 2023 to the end of May 2025.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
At least six million people in Somalia are going days without enough food, UN aid teams warned on Friday, highlighting that nearly two million of this number are young children “at high risk of illness or death”.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO
Children shot, stabbed and pepper-sprayed in occupied West Bank; scores of Gaza amputees denied prosthetics, aid teams warn
Israeli military operations and surging settler attacks in the occupied West Bank are killing and maiming Palestinian children, while in Gaza tens of thousands with life-changing injuries lack access to treatment and rehabilitation, UN agencies warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The risk of hantavirus spreading to the general population is “absolutely low”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , IFRC
Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Deadly hantavirus on board cruise ship may be transmitted among humans - WHO
Hantavirus victims on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have been infected prior to joining the cruise and human-to-human transmission on board cannot be ruled out – although it is rare - the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN rights chief concerned by upheld convictions of Cambodian activists.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , OHCHR
Middle East crisis puts aid, food, fuel further out of reach for millions already struggling – UN agencies
As the Middle East crisis continues the humanitarian fallout is worsening, with aid route disruptions and food and fuel price hikes wrecking the lives and rights of the most vulnerable, UN agencies warned on Friday.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNMAS
Demining experts from around the world have been sharing their collective shock at the widespread and growing threat from unexploded ordnance, the new head of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office in Syria conducted a 5-day visit to the northeast of the country where they received accounts of human rights violations and abuses.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Sudan: ‘History repeating itself’ for Darfur’s children - UNICEF
Mass atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur 20 years ago reverberated as far as Hollywood, but today, a new generation of children faces attacks, hunger and displacement in an emergency largely ignored by the outside world, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.