Sudan emergency
Sudan emergency
Deadly conflict in Sudan has forced nearly 13 million people to flee their homes.
As the violence continues to escalate, people are desperately seeking safety and protection, both inside Sudan and in bordering countries.
Countries affected: Central African Republic | Chad | Egypt | Ethiopia | Libya | South Sudan | Sudan | Uganda
people have fled Sudan seeking safety in neighbouring countries
refugees who were living in Sudan have been forced to return to their home countries prematurely
people internally displaced by the fighting in Sudan
Are you a refugee, asylum-seeker or stateless person looking for help? Visit the HELP site to find support and services from UNHCR.
The worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan as conflict drives the world’s largest displacement and severe food insecurity
The conflict that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis. By October 2025, approximately 14 million people had fled their homes, with nearly 12 million still displaced. This includes 7.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 4.2 million refugees, asylum-seekers, and returnees who sought safety in neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
The crisis is compounded by pre-existing displacement, as 2.3 million Sudanese were already internally displaced before the conflict, and over 837,000 Sudanese refugees were in countries of asylum. Insecurity and dire conditions have forced 850,000 refugees living in Sudan to return to their countries of origin under dangerous circumstances, while another 270,000 refugees have been displaced again within Sudan.
Critical infrastructure has collapsed, and access to basic services such as water, health care, and shelter is severely limited.
More than half the population faces acute food insecurity, with famine confirmed in several regions. Sexual violence and exploitation are widespread, leaving lasting trauma. Despite ongoing conflict, around 2.6 million displaced Sudanese have returned to areas such as Khartoum, Sennar, and Al Jazirah, often driven by hardship rather than safety, only to find destroyed infrastructure and services.
Emergency level 2: The situation in Sudan is classified as an emergency level 2, indicating a rapidly evolving humanitarian situation that requires additional support and resources. Learn more about UNHCR emergency classifications.
Sudan is the definition of a perfect storm: shocking human rights atrocities, with millions uprooted by this insane war … We are losing a generation to this war, yet peace efforts are not working.
What is UNHCR doing to help?
UNHCR and partners continue to assist refugees, returnees, and IDPs in Sudan with shelter, health care, psychosocial support, protection, cash assistance, and non-food items, as security allows.
Stabilizing returns requires parallel humanitarian and development investments, including infrastructure rehabilitation, service restoration, and livelihood support to ensure safe and sustainable reintegration.
In neighboring countries, UNHCR coordinates a regional refugee response plan with governments and partners, including UN agencies and NGOs, to assist refugees and asylum-seekers across seven countries. Efforts focus on keeping borders open, providing life-saving assistance such as food, shelter, health care, and protection, and supporting access to documentation for services, financial inclusion, family reunification, and complementary pathways. For 2026, UNHCR’s budget needs for Sudan and neighboring countries amount to $907 million.
UNHCR advocates for sustainable approaches by promoting national strategies that integrate displaced people into national systems and avoid parallel humanitarian structures. It leverages pledges from the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to advance refugee inclusion and supports integrated settlement models in countries like CAR, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Partnerships with development actors aim to expand education, vocational training, and livelihoods, particularly in agriculture, to foster self-reliance. Development financing is critical to complement humanitarian efforts and build resilience among refugees, returnees, IDPs, and host communities.
To strengthen coordination, UNHCR and the UN Development Coordination Office have established a Development Partners Group and launched a Development Action Platform to consolidate data and analysis for the Sudan regional crisis.
