Sub-Saharan Africa hosts nearly half of global internally displaced people in 2023

With the number reaching 34.8 million, up from 31.7 million in 2022, the region, hosting 46% of the world's IDPs, continued to be the most affected by internal displacement last year, as conflict and disasters ravaged several in the region. 

The 2024 Global Report on Internal Displacement indicated that the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 significantly contributed to the surge in numbers, with the country now hosting 9.1 million internally displaced individuals, marking the highest number globally, up from 3.6 million at the close of 2022.

Further, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), plagued by persistent armed conflict, primarily in its eastern region, ranked third globally with 6.7 million IDPs while Somalia, Ethiopia, and Nigeria followed closely, each with a minimum of 3 million IDPs, the report indicated.

The International Displacement Monitoring Centre cautioned that without sustainable solutions addressing peace, poverty reduction, and climate change mitigation, the number of displaced people is likely to continue rising. Globally, out of the 75.9 million IDPs recorded by the end of 2023, 68.3 million were displaced by conflict and violence, while 7.7 million were displaced by disasters.

Generally, the report highlighted that the escalation of conflicts, such as those in Sudan and Palestine, forced millions more to flee in 2023, compounding the already dire situation for tens of millions living in displacement due to ongoing or past conflicts. 

IDPs are individuals who have been compelled to leave their residences due to conflict, violence, or natural calamities but have not crossed an internationally recognised border.