Global Displacement Reaches Record High Amid Ongoing Conflicts, UN Reports
Geneva, 12 Jun (ONA) --- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today revealed that the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide has surged to 122.1 million as of April 2025, driven primarily by armed conflicts and widespread violence. Despite the staggering figures, the agency noted a positive development—9.8 million displaced persons, including 1.6 million refugees, returned to their homes over the past year, marking the highest refugee repatriation rate in over 20 years.
During the release of its annual report, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi disclosed that by the end of 2024, the total displaced population had already hit an all-time high of 123.2 million, comprising 73.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 31 million refugees.
Grandi cautioned that the escalation or resolution of major global conflicts will heavily influence whether displacement numbers climb further. He described the current state of international relations as deeply unstable, with modern warfare leaving behind shattered societies and immense human suffering.
Urging stronger commitments to peacebuilding and long-term solutions for displaced populations, Grandi stressed that conflict remains the leading cause of displacement, citing crises in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine as key examples.
The report highlighted some progress, with nearly 500,000 Syrians returning home between December 2024 and May 2025, alongside 1.2 million IDPs resettling in their regions of origin since late November. The UNHCR projects that up to 1.5 million Syrian refugees abroad and 2 million IDPs may return by year’s end.
Sudan now bears the heaviest displacement burden, with 14.3 million affected, followed by Syria (13.5 million), Afghanistan (10.3 million), and Ukraine (8.8 million). Significant displacement also persists in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar.
The UN further warned that recent funding reductions have severely strained its operations, limiting its capacity to address displacement emergencies and facilitate safe, dignified returns for refugees and IDPs.
--- Ends/Khalid
