UN: Millions of displaced Sudanese at risk of losing shelter as funding dries up

Geneva – Agencies: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have warned that millions of people displaced by the civil war in Sudan face the risk of losing emergency shelter as aid stocks dwindle due to funding shortages. The two agencies noted that approximately 15.4 million people in Sudan are in urgent need of emergency shelter and basic household items, but financial constraints mean that humanitarian agencies can prioritize aid delivery for only about 10% of those in need. In a joint statement, UNHCR and the IOM said that 936,000 people have received assistance so far, leaving a significant gap between needs and available resources. Approximately 8.6 million people remain internally displaced, while more than 4.6 million have fled across borders. Additionally, over 5.2 million people have returned to their areas of origin, often finding their homes, infrastructure, and essential services destroyed. Mohamed Rafat, head of the IOM mission in Sudan, said the organization is struggling to maintain operations amid shrinking resources. Speaking in Khartoum during a briefing to the United Nations in Geneva, he added that the IOM had distributed more than 40,000 tons of aid this year alone, but its warehouses are now completely empty. Rafat noted that the number of internally displaced persons could rise again despite recent return efforts. He stated that both agencies have already scaled back their ambitions due to limited funding.