UN Reports 26.3 Million Displaced Individuals in the Horn of Africa

Nairobi, March 4 (NationPress) The Horn of Africa is home to approximately 26.3 million individuals living as either refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), as revealed in a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday.

The report indicates that 20.7 million people are internally displaced, while 5.6 million are classified as refugees and asylum seekers.

The UNHCR pointed to an increase in displacements following heightened conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in February. "Since January 2025, around 65,000 individuals have fled to Burundi and 15,937 to Uganda from the DRC," stated the agency.

It was also reported that Egypt hosts the largest number of refugees from Sudan, totaling 1.5 million, with South Sudan following close behind with 1.05 million and Chad with 759,058.

The primary factors driving displacement in the Horn of Africa include conflict, the effects of climate change such as floods and drought, and widespread food insecurity, according to the UN agency, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development indicates that approximately 66.9 million people were facing food insecurity in the Horn of Africa as of late January.

In a recent announcement, the European Union allocated $4.13 million to support a collaborative project aimed at safeguarding vulnerable communities in the Greater Horn of Africa from the severe consequences of climate extremes, conflict, and displacement, as stated by the World Food Programme (WFP).

This initiative aims to assist 450,000 vulnerable individuals in Ethiopia and Somalia over a two-year period by mitigating the impacts of predicted shocks before they escalate into crises through the enhancement of weather agencies' capabilities to deliver timely and accurate forecasts, thereby enabling improved responses from communities and governments, as reported by the UN agency on Monday.

"The increasing frequency and severity of climate extremes like droughts and floods are intensifying existing drivers of hunger, including conflict, displacement, and economic instability," commented Rukia Yacoub, the WFP's Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa, in a statement released in Nairobi, Kenya's capital.

"When livestock and crops fail, livelihoods are jeopardized, and hunger escalates," the statement emphasized. "Proactive measures can save lives, strengthen community resilience to future crises, and alleviate the burden on scarce humanitarian resources."

This project will be executed by the WFP, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, and the Danish Refugee Council.

The Horn of Africa, positioned in the easternmost part of Africa, is recognized as one of the globe's most conflict-ridden and vulnerable regions. It has a long-standing history of ongoing conflict, violent extremism, and weak governance, and it accommodates a significant number of refugees and internally displaced individuals. Additionally, it is among the world's poorest regions, with an estimated 57 million people living in extreme poverty.

The enduring impacts of Covid-19, climate change, prolonged conflict, the war in Ukraine, and a decline in global funding are all exacerbating food insecurity in the Horn of Africa. The hunger crisis in this region is reaching unprecedented levels, with 23 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia experiencing acute food insecurity and facing severe hunger and water shortages. Continuous drought and soaring food prices have diminished people's capacity to cultivate crops, rear livestock, and afford food for their families.