Global displacement hits 110 million, UNHCR cites Ukraine and Sudan conflicts

A staggering 110 million people across the globe now find themselves displaced, with the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan contributing significantly to this figure, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The agency’s annual report revealed that approximately 19 million individuals were forced to flee their homes last year, marking the largest annual increase ever recorded. By the end of 2021, the total number of displaced people reached 108.4 million, with the figure continuing to rise in 2022, primarily due to the conflict in Sudan.

UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi expressed his dismay at the state of the world, stating, “Solutions to these movements are increasingly difficult to even imagine, to even put on the table. We are in a very polarised world, where international tensions play out all the way into humanitarian issues.” Prior to the conflict in Syria in 2011, the number of refugees and internally displaced people remained stable at around 40 million for nearly two decades. However, this number has increased annually since then.

Grandi attributed the growing number of displaced people to a combination of factors, including conflict, persecution, discrimination, violence, and climate change. The report highlighted that half of the total refugees and those in need of international protection originated from just three countries: Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan.

The UN refugee chief also expressed concern over the stricter rules being imposed on admitting refugees and the push-backs they face, without naming specific countries. “We see increasingly a reluctance on the part of states to fully adhere to the principles of the (1951 refugee) convention, even states that have signed it,” Grandi told the Reuters news agency.

Despite these challenges, Grandi praised the recent deal reached by European Union ministers on sharing responsibility for migrants and refugees. “There are issues of some concern. By and large, however, I think it’s a positive step,” he said. “We’re so happy that the Europeans agree on something.” He also commended Kenya for exploring new solutions to support the half a million refugees it hosts, many of whom have fled poverty and drought in the Horn of Africa.