What is behind the biggest surge in internal displacement ever recorded?

climate-related disasters in different parts of the world, continue to drive millions from their homes. (Reuters)
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Updated 23 June 2025
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What is behind the biggest surge in internal displacement ever recorded?

  • Aid agencies have recorded an unprecedented rise in displacement within countries across every global region
  • More than 83 million people were internally displaced by the end of 2024 — the highest figure ever documented

DUBAI: The world is witnessing a historic surge in displacement — not across borders, but within them. Ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Sudan, coupled with the escalating frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters, continue to drive millions from their homes.

By the end of 2024, more than 83.4 million people in the world were internally displaced — the highest number yet recorded.

According to the 2025 Global Report on Internal Displacement, that figure has nearly doubled in just six years — the equivalent of displacing the entire population of Germany.

More broadly, the latest figures from UNHCR’s Global Trends Report 2025 show that the total number of forcibly displaced people worldwide — including refugees, asylum seekers, and those internally displaced — had reached 122.1 million by the end of April 2025, up from 120 million the year before.

“We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, responding to the figures.

“We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.”

While Grandi highlighted the urgent need for global solutions, experts tracking internal displacement say the crisis is becoming increasingly entrenched within national borders.

“Internal displacement is where conflict, poverty, and climate collide, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest,” Alexandra Bilak, director of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, said in a statement.

The latest figures reveal internal displacement is no longer just a humanitarian issue, she said, but a complex political and development challenge that continues to be overlooked.

“The data is clear — it’s now time to use it to prevent displacement, support recovery, and build resilience,” Bilak said.

The global surge in internal displacement was felt across every region in 2024, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement.

An internally displaced person is someone forced to flee their home to escape conflict, persecution, or disaster. But unlike refugees, they remain within their country’s borders. 

Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter of this global surge, home to 38.8 million internally displaced persons — making up almost 46 percent of the global total. 

All 23 countries in the region that experienced conflict-related displacement also suffered from disaster-induced movements, compounding already dire humanitarian needs.

In the Middle East and North Africa, conflict-related displacement also surged — particularly in the Gaza Strip, where conflict has raged since October 2023. About 2 million Palestinians were forced from their homes, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement.

The Americas likewise showed a dramatic increase, with 14.5 million people forced to flee within their national boundaries. The US alone accounted for 11 million disaster-related movements — nearly a quarter of the global total for such events.

In South Asia, disaster displacement nearly tripled, to 9.2 million, the region’s second-highest figure in more than a decade.

Conflict was the primary driver of internal displacement in 2024. In Sudan, the situation has deteriorated dramatically since fighting erupted there in April 2023.

“It has become the largest and most devastating displacement, humanitarian and protection crisis in the world today,” Tarik Argaz, a UNHCR representative, told Arab News.

As of mid-2024, more than 12.4 million people had been displaced in Sudan — including 8.1 million internally and more than 4 million who had fled to neighboring countries. These figures are based on UNHCR’s operational data collected during the continuing crisis.

By April 2025, the scale of displacement had grown further. According to UNHCR’s Global Trends Report, Sudan now represents the largest forced displacement crisis in the world, with a combined total of 14.3 million displaced people — including refugees and internally displaced people.




People who fled the Zamzam camp for the internally displaced after it fell under RSF control, rest in a makeshift encampment in an open field near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region on April 13, 2025. (AFP)

“Security remains the major challenge in many regions of Sudan,” Argaz said. “Access to different areas continues to change due to the dynamic nature of the conflict.”

Disasters also triggered a record 45.8 million new internal displacements — the highest since 2008. An overwhelming 99.5 percent of these were caused by climate-related events, particularly storms and floods.

Argaz said climate change and displacement are becoming increasingly interconnected.

“Adverse effects of climate change and disasters have contributed to increased forced displacement over past decades,” he said.

“As extreme weather events and environmental conditions worsen with global heating, they are contributing to multiple and overlapping crises, increasing poverty and loss of livelihoods.

“The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimates that over 25 million people are forced to move due to disaster-related causes each year.

“The majority of people forcibly displaced by persecution, conflict and violence today live in countries that are highly vulnerable and ill-prepared to adapt to climate change.”

INNUMBERS

• 83.4 million By the end of 2024, more than 83.4 million people in the world were internally displaced — the highest number yet recorded.

• 9.2 million In South Asia, disaster displacement nearly tripled, to 9.2 million, the region’s second-highest figure in more than a decade.

Despite ongoing challenges, UNHCR continues to provide lifesaving support — including shelter, healthcare, psychosocial services, and cash assistance — while also working with regional partners to coordinate a broader response to displacement.

In a rare sign of progress, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees — the most in more than two decades — and 8.2 million internally displaced persons — the second highest yet recorded.

However, many of these returns occurred under difficult political and security conditions.

A large number of Afghans, for example, were forced to return to Afghanistan in 2024, often arriving in dire circumstances. In countries such as Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and South Sudan, new displacements unfolded even as others returned.

“Even amid the devastating cuts, we have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” said UN High Commissioner Grandi, referring to the recent reduction in aid funding by the US and other major Western donors.

“Nearly 2 million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted. The country remains fragile and people need our help to rebuild their lives again.”




Congolese refugees displaced by ongoing clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo carry their belongings as they disembark from a truck upon arrival at the Gihanga refugee transit camp in Gihanga on February 17, 2025.

Internally displaced persons should be afforded the same rights and freedoms as all other citizens and habitual residents of their country, Argaz said.

“Our advocacy efforts have been instrumental in supporting the protection of internally displaced persons on various fronts — from access to documentation, education, healthcare, and livelihoods, to promoting economic inclusion and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, which are often the root cause of displacement,” he said.

Internally displaced persons often face a range of protection challenges that vary depending on the context.

These typically include limited access to basic necessities such as shelter, food, water, and healthcare — particularly during emergencies and in protracted displacement situations.

Many are also vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, including gender-based violence.

Long-term solutions such as return or local integration are still out of reach for millions.

“The cost of inaction is rising,” Bilak said. “And displaced people are paying the price.”

 


Russian FM Lavrov to visit North Korea this weekend

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Russian FM Lavrov to visit North Korea this weekend

SEOUL: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit North Korea this weekend, state media reported, the latest in a series of high-profile visits by top Moscow officials as the two countries deepen military ties.
Lavrov "will visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from July 11 to 13 at the invitation of the DPRK Foreign Ministry," the official Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.
Russia's security chief Sergei Shoigu has visited Pyongyang multiple times this year, including last month, when the two countries marked the one year anniversary of the signing of a sweeping military pact.
The two heavily-sanctioned nations signed the military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the nuclear-armed North.
Pyongyang has become one of Moscow's main allies during its more than three-year-long Ukraine offensive, sending thousands of troops and container loads of weapons to help the Kremlin oust Ukrainian forces from Kursk region.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said, with Shoigu announcing in Pyongyang last month that the nuclear-armed North would send builders and deminers to Kursk.
North Korea only confirmed it had deployed troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine in April, and admitted that its soldiers had been killed in combat.
Leader Kim Jong Un has subsequently been shown in state media images honouring the flag-draped coffins of North Korean soldiers killed helping Russia fight Ukraine.

China says EU ‘mentality’, not trade, needs to be rebalanced

Updated 10 min 39 sec ago
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China says EU ‘mentality’, not trade, needs to be rebalanced

  • EU chief Ursula von der Leyen remarked the EU would seek to rebalance economic ties with China, demanding it eases market access for European firms and loosen export controls on rare earths

BEIJING: Beijing said on Wednesday that the European Union needed to rebalance its “mentality,” not its economic ties with China, ahead of a summit between the two this month.
“It is hoped that the European side realizes that what needs to be rebalanced right now is Europe’s mentality, not China-EU economic and trade relations,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday the EU would seek to rebalance economic ties with China, demanding it eases market access for European firms and loosen export controls on rare earths.
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said Beijing was running the largest trade surplus “in the history of mankind” exporting vast amounts to the EU while making it harder for European companies to do business in China.
The trade deficit between China and the EU was a yawning $357 billion in 2024.
The commission leader, who will travel to Beijing with European Council President Antonio Costa, said the pair will seek to loosen export restrictions on rare earths — while Brussels also looks at “developing alternative supply resources.”
Beijing snapped back on Wednesday, saying that in the “current turbulent situation,” the bloc and China should “properly handle divergences and frictions.”
“We hope that the European Union will truly establish a more objective and rational understanding of China and pursue a more positive and pragmatic China policy,” Mao said.


Taiwan kicks off military drills in face of China threat

Updated 28 min 18 sec ago
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Taiwan kicks off military drills in face of China threat

  • The self ruled island faces the constant threat of an invasion by China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it

TAIPEI: Taiwan kicked off its largest military drills Wednesday with regular troops joined by a record mobilization of reservists for 10 days of training aimed at defending against a Chinese invasion.
The annual “Han Kuang” exercises, which are being held at the same time as civilian defense drills, will run from July 9-18 and feature newly delivered US high-tech rocket systems.
The self-ruled island democracy faces the constant threat of an invasion by China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it.
Chinese military pressure has intensified in recent years, with Beijing deploying fighter jets and warships around the island on a near-daily basis.
In the lead-up to the drills Wednesday, Taiwan detected 31 sorties by Chinese military aircraft and seven warships around the island in the 24 hours to 6:00 am (2200 GMT Tuesday), according to the defense ministry.
Taiwan has boosted defense spending and acquired smaller and more nimble weaponry, including drones, to enable its military to wage asymmetric warfare against its more powerful foe.
Twenty-two thousand reservists — the largest ever call-up — are participating in this year’s drills, having begun a training program Saturday.
Reservist training includes familiarization with rifles, squad and platoon machine guns, and tactical maneuvers.
“Because these reservists have been discharged and away for a long time, upon return they need to undergo specialty refresher training,” said an army officer who asked not to be named.
On Wednesday, reservists wearing camouflage uniforms, helmets and boots were put through their paces, practicing cleaning, assembling and aiming 65K2 rifles and machine guns.
Taipei is eager to show the world, especially its key security backer Washington, that it is serious about boosting its military capability.
The drills will “let the international community know that we are determined to defend ourselves, and to pass on to China that the nation’s military has the confidence and ability to defend a free and democratic life,” Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said recently.
This year’s drills have been extended to 10 days and nine nights, from five days and four nights last year.


The Han Kuang began in 1984 when the island was still under martial law.
Troops will simulate various scenarios including “grey zone harassment” — tactics that fall short of an act of war — as well as “long-range precision strikes” to combat a Chinese invasion in 2027, defense officials have said.
Officials in the United States — Taipei’s biggest arms supplier — have previously cited 2027 as a possible timeline for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Recently delivered High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States will be used during the drills.
There will also be a separate live fire event involving US-made advanced M1A2 Abrams tanks.
Taiwanese defense officials have been closely monitoring the war in Ukraine and their use of a decentralized command and control structure.
“When we think practically about combat, we consider what kind of scenario Taiwan might face,” a senior defense official said on the eve of the drills.
“Commanders at all levels need to be able to decide what to do based on their understanding of their superior’s intent. This usually requires peacetime training to build up their awareness in this regard.”
The exercises are being held as President Lai Ching-te, who is a staunch defender of Taiwan’s sovereignty, tours the island delivering speeches aimed at “uniting the country.”
China has carried out several large-scale military drills around Taiwan since Lai took office last year, as the island rejects China’s sovereignty stance.
China specialists at risk analysis firm Eurasia Group said Beijing was “likely” to carry out more military exercises at the end of July.
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A wildfire that reached Marseille is pushed back but not extinguished

Updated 40 min 8 sec ago
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A wildfire that reached Marseille is pushed back but not extinguished

  • Spurred by hot summer winds, the fire grounded all flights to and from Marseille and halted train traffic in most of the surrounding area

MARSEILLE: A wildfire that reached France's second-largest city and left 110 injured was pushed back overnight but was not yet extinguished Wednesday, authorities said. Marseille's mayor lifted a confinement order for tens of thousands of people.
Mayor Benoit Payan said on broadcaster France-Info that the fire was in ‘’net regression'' Wednesday morning after racing toward the historic Mediterranean port city Tuesday, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and the population of an entire city district to barricade themselves indoors on official orders.
Spurred by hot summer winds, the fire grounded all flights to and from Marseille and halted train traffic in most of the surrounding area Tuesday. Train, road and plane traffic remained complicated Wednesday.
The mayor said 110 people were treated for smoke inhalation and related injuries.
More than 1,000 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out near the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau before racing toward Marseille. Some 720 hectares were hit by the blaze, the prefecture said.
The prefecture described the fire as ’’particularly virulent.″ It came on a cloudless, windy day after a lengthy heat wave around Europe left the area parched and at heightened risk for wildfires. Several have broken out in southern France in recent days, including one in the Aude region that has burned some 2,000 hectares and continued to rage Wednesday.
Light gray smoke gave the sky over Marseille’s old port a dusty aspect as water-dropping planes tried to extinguish the fire in the outskirts of the city, which has some 900,000 inhabitants.


Presidents of five African nations to meet with Trump at White House

Updated 09 July 2025
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Presidents of five African nations to meet with Trump at White House

  • The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon will convene at Trump's behest

DAKAR: US President Donald Trump will welcome five African leaders to a White House lunch on Wednesday, with commerce and trade expected to feature prominently among a mixed bag of potential agenda items.
The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon — five nations located along Africa’s Atlantic Coast — will convene at Trump’s behest.
Officials from the countries have told AFP that they expect talks to center on trade, investment and security, among other topics as they meet in the executive mansion’s State Dining Room.
But few concrete details have emerged as to the White House’s intentions.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration is focused on tariffs and trade deals, and as it seeks to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals.
But the five nations lack the extreme mineral wealth of other African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The gathering additionally takes place just days after the Trump administration celebrated the formal shuttering of the US foreign aid agency USAID, trumpeting the move as an end to the “charity-based model.”
Officials from the five countries who spoke to AFP seemed keenly aware of the White House ethos.
Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai accepted the invitation with an eye on no longer being “solely (an) aid recipient,” his press secretary Kula Fofana told AFP on Tuesday.
“Our interest is to look more to trade and engagement partners who will invest,” she said.
Gabonese presidential spokesman Theophane Biyoghe said the meeting marked a chance for synergies “centered around the industrialization of our economy.”


US arch rivals China and Russia have made major incursions into the region recently, including substantial investments by Beijing in a number of the countries.
Moscow, meanwhile, has lent support to the region’s newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprised of junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The alliance states share borders with several of the counties at Wednesday’s lunch.
Security and drugs could additionally feature on the White House agenda.
In April, Guinea-Bissau said it had turned over four convicted Latin American drug smugglers to the US DEA drug enforcement authority.
The country is often used as a transit zone for moving cocaine from Latin America to Europe and beyond.
Shortly before leaving for Washington, Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo described the visit to the press as “very important” for his country.
“Economically, this is a great opportunity opening for us,” he declared, adding that he hoped his country would also benefit from “the support” the United States provides to other countries.


A number of world leaders have faced brutal political ambushes during White House visits.
Among them are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who became embroiled in a notorious row with Trump, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
During a visit, Trump showed the South African leader a video of baseless claims of a “white genocide” being committed in his country.
While those episodes happened in front of cameras in the Oval Office, the five African presidents meeting Trump on Wednesday are so far not scheduled to appear before the press.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared few details about the meeting when she told a briefing on Monday only that Trump would “host leaders of five African nations for lunch” in the State Dining Room.
Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal are among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo last month.