The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has revealed that the number of people forcibly displaced by war, violence, and persecution has reached an unprecedented 122.1 million globally, describing the situation as “untenably high.”

According to UNHCR’s latest Global Trends Report, displacement rose from 120 million last year, continuing a decade-long upward trajectory driven by conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and other regions.

Sudan now tops the list with the world’s largest displacement crisis, hosting 14.3 million displaced people — surpassing Syria’s 13.5 million, Afghanistan’s 10.3 million, and Ukraine’s 8.8 million, the report states.

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, emphasised the urgency of the crisis.

“We are living in a time of intense volatility, marked by acute human suffering," Grandi said. "We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions.”

The report challenges common perceptions by noting that 67% of refugees remain in neighbouring countries, and 60% never cross international borders. Low and middle income nations currently host 73% of the global refugee population.

By the end of 2024, the internally displaced population reached 73.5 million, while refugees numbered 42.7 million.

Despite stagnant funding since 2015, 9.8 million people returned to their homes in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees — the highest return rate in more than 20 years — alongside 8.2 million internally displaced persons.

“Nearly two million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted,” Grandi noted, while warning that many returns occur under fragile conditions.

UNHCR called for urgent increased investment to support returns, host communities, and essential humanitarian programmes critical for stability and security.

Copied