Sudan After 3 Years of War: World’s Largest Displacement Crisis Worsens with No End in Sight

Moatinoon – Follow up
As Sudan’s crisis enters its fourth year, fighting continues across large parts of the country, triggering new waves of displacement and prolonging the daily suffering of millions, with no clear resolution in sight.

This was underscored by Mary-Hélène Verney, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sudan, during a video briefing from Khartoum to journalists in Geneva on Friday.

She noted that Sudan is now experiencing the world’s largest displacement crisis and one of the worst protection emergencies, amid a severe global funding shortfall.

Among the key points she highlighted:
Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, around 14 million people have been forced to flee. Of those 9 million are IDPs and 4.4 million crossed to the neighbouring countries. Today, one in every four Sudanese is displaced.

Violence continues across much of Darfur, the Kordofan regions, and Blue Nile State. The increasing use of airstrikes and drones in recent months has driven even more people to flee.

Human rights violations persist, including conflict-related sexual violence, forced recruitment, arbitrary detention, massacres, and more.

Women and girls continue to face heightened risks of sexual violence, exploitation, and abuse, particularly while moving through unsafe areas.

Survivors of gender-based violence face major barriers to reporting incidents and accessing medical, psychosocial, and legal services, reinforcing cycles of violence and underreporting.

The collapse of health systems, law enforcement, and justice mechanisms has created a widespread climate of impunity.

Millions of children have now spent three years of their childhood displaced, with long-term consequences for their future. Most have had little or no access to education.

More than 58,000 children have arrived alone in neighboring countries after being separated from their families during flight—many arriving injured and deeply traumatized.

Neighboring countries hosting the vast majority of Sudanese refugees—particularly Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan—are reaching or exceeding their capacity.

The flow of arrivals from Darfur into Chad continues, while South Sudan struggles to support Sudanese refugees alongside nearly one million South Sudanese returnees since April 2023, amid its own deepening crisis.

UNHCR warned that shrinking aid and limited opportunities in host countries are forcing many into impossible choices.

An increasing number of Sudanese are undertaking dangerous journeys through Libya toward Europe. More than 14,000 Sudanese arrived in Europe between 2024 and 2025—a 232% increase since the conflict began. UNHCR stressed that these movements are not driven by choice or opportunity, but by the absence of peace prospects and unmet basic needs both in Sudan and across its boarders.

The UN official emphasized the urgent need for peace—or at least increased funding for humanitarian and development responses—to enable Sudanese people to live in dignity wherever they are.

Impact of the Middle East Conflict
At the same press conference, Hongjie Yang, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Sudan, expressed deep concern about the repercussions of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, warning that it could further reduce food supplies by late 2026, “while famine risks persist in some hotspot areas” of Sudan.

Yang noted that these concerns are compounded by limited access to essential agricultural inputs among populations already suffering from food insecurity and violence.

He added that the latest Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission reported a 22% decline in cereal production compared to 2024—a worrying trend amid acute food insecurity.

With the main planting season approaching, FAO urgently called for immediate funding to distribute emergency seeds, warning that time is running out. “More than 21 million Sudanese are currently facing acute food insecurity, including 6.3 million in the most severe conditions,” he said.

“This is an emergency and a catastrophe. The situation remains devastating for rural households, especially in conflict-affected areas such as Darfur and Kordofan.”

Destruction of Production and Laboratories
The FAO representative noted that Khartoum had been the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, with many feedlots and slaughterhouses located in the capital before the war, But it was destroyed by the conflict.

He stressed that one of the most severe losses is the destruction of the main veterinary laboratory, meaning livestock vaccines can no longer be produced locally.

He warned that funding gaps threaten to undermine gains in domestic food production and deepen reliance on costly food aid in the second half of the year.

Delays or gaps in seed distribution risk pushing millions deeper into crisis, particularly amid soaring input costs and continued market access constraints.

Over 200 Attacks on Health Care
For his part, Dr. Shibl Sohbani, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Sudan, said that more than 200 attacks on health care have been documented خلال ثلاث سنوات من النزاع، resulting in 2,052 deaths.

Speaking via video from Port Sudan to a Geneva press conference, he added: “In this year alone, particularly in the first quarter, we recorded and verified 16 attacks targeting health care facilities, resulting in nearly 200 deaths and more than 300 injuries.”

He also addressed how the escalation in the Middle East is affecting humanitarian response in Sudan.

“The main logistics hub for most agencies, including WHO, is located in the United Arab Emirates. Given the current developments, this situation is directly affecting our ability to respond, both in terms of time and cost,” he said.

While some supplies had been pre-positioned in Sudan, enabling an immediate response, he warned: “The problem is that we are now depleting our existing stock, and there is an urgent need for additional supplies to arrive.”

Hope Amid Collapsing Services
Dr. Sohbani also described the situation in Khartoum, which he visited days ago, where he witnessed firsthand the “shortcomings in basic services” that are unable to meet the needs of residents who remained or those returning home.

He said that despite people expressing hope in rebuilding their lives, they face collapsed systems, including health care. Hospitals are overcrowded yet operating below optimal capacity, while medical warehouses have been destroyed.

He further noted that the number of health workers is far from sufficient to meet the overwhelming patient load, and “needs remain enormous.”

Despite the efforts of WHO and its partners, he said, they are unable to meet all these needs.