“The world is facing a terrible indictment with a staggering 120 million people living in forced displacement due to war, violence, and persecution,” the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) announced on Thursday.
UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi emphasized that conflict remains a significant driver of mass displacement, with crises in Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar forcing more people to flee their homes. The global displaced population is now equivalent to that of Japan.
Grandi expressed his shock at the high displacement figure, which has more than doubled since he took office eight years ago. He attributed the increase to a combination of new and mutating crises, climate change, and a failure to resolve long-standing conflicts.
“The way conflicts are conducted, in complete disregard of international law, and often with the specific purpose of terrorizing people, is a powerful contributor to more displacement,” Grandi said.
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The UNHCR report revealed that 68.3 million people were internally displaced within their own country, while 43.4 million refugees and others needed international protection. Grandi noted that 75% of refugees are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, contrary to the perception that they all go to wealthy countries.
Sudan’s civil war has significantly contributed to the rising numbers, displacing over nine million people, with nearly 11 million Sudanese uprooted by the end of 2023. Grandi highlighted the devastating situation in Chad, which has received 600,000 Sudanese refugees in the past 14 months.
Other countries with significant displacement crises include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Gaza, and Ukraine. Syria remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 13.8 million people forcibly displaced inside and outside the country.
Grandi acknowledged that the trend is unlikely to change without a shift in international geopolitics, and the figure may continue to rise. The UNHCR report emphasizes the need for international action to address the root causes of displacement and support those affected by conflicts and persecution.
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