Examining the Crisis of African Displacement
Dwindling Humanitarian Response to the heightening displacement in Africa
By Chelsea Taylor, GCDC Program Assistant
The world is currently experiencing some of the greatest atrocities — torture, systemtic sexual violence, food scarcity, mass killings, forced labor — altering the conditions of livelihoods instantly. As you read this, over 75 million people have been internally displaced in the face of conflict, violence, and environmental disasters.
Millions across the continent of Africa have been forcibly removed from their homes. As we entered 2024, a number of African countries have been identified as experiencing some of the most neglected displacement crises in the world. The escalating fears surrounding the atrocities being committed in these regions have raised urgent questions about safety and dwindling available options of those affected.
Among the largest number of displacements within Africa are the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, and Sudan. These countries lead in the growing number of internally displaced persons as raging conflicts, famine, and violence engulf the citizens, resigning them to terror, malnutrition, and statelessness. The circumstances surrounding each country’s conflict may differ, but one undeniable truth remains: millions of individuals are left hopeless as humanitarian aid continues to diminish amidst increasing displacement. The minimal coverage of these conflicts in Africa highlights the stark inadequacy of relief funds and the urgency for international intervention. This oversight reveals a harsh reality: affected individuals will have to endure their dire circumstances for an extended period until their plight is prioritized. There is an urgent need for renewed global commitment and resources to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Africa.
“Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanize the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Millions are pleading for global assistance as they endure the compounded effects of violent conflicts and the associated dangers. These crises exacerbate the already challenging conditions many were facing, making their outcry for help even more desperate. Below we will examine three countries experiencing the bulk of the displacement happening in Africa. A common thread among them is that they are currently listed among the world’s most neglected crises. While the global community currently faces myriad atrocities, the crises in Africa often lack proper focus. The severe hardships faced in these African countries should not be overshadowed by other global crises but should receive equal attention and assistance. Each country exhibits different extremes of displacement and intersecting challenges, making the neglect they face even more disappointing.
Looking first at Sudan, which is currently experiencing the largest displacement crisis ever reported globally, leaving over 10 million people without a safe haven due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RAF). This power struggle between two military factions has resulted in over 150,000 deaths, a number that continues to rise. As a result, millions have been forced to flee their homes, facing soaring food prices, increasingly frequent and devastating floods due to climate change, and the harsh realities of poverty. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan underscores the dire need for urgent international intervention as the anticipated goal of $2.7 billion for the 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) has reached less than 20% of that amount. The imminent threats of famine, death, disease, and statelessness have not yet spurred international leaders to take decisive action on the deadly situation currently plaguing Sudan and its people.
Secondly, Somalia, grappling with the nearly four decades of the worst drought experienced within Africa, is enduring the eradication of its livestock, farmlands, water access, and food outlets, rendering 2.4 million people being displaced solely by the climate crisis out of the over 4 million people displaced. The climate crisis has directly impacted their livelihoods, leaving them without any means to provide for their families. At the same time, political instability is rising as Al-Shabaab, a religious insurgent group, wreaks havoc, killing thousands indiscriminately.The limited means to escape this brazen violence, compounded by the worsening climate crisis, have strained humanitarian response efforts in Somalia. This situation impedes humanitarian delivery, compromises the safety of aid workers, and falls short of aid goals, with many regions inaccessible due to Al-Shabaab’s control.
Finally, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is experiencing a devastating genocide and resource exploitation alongside the displacement. This multifaceted crisis has resulted in millions of deaths, widespread abuse, torture, and homelessness.
Long-standing tensions between the March 23 Movement (M23), an ethnic Tutsi rebel group, and the DRC military stem from power struggles dating back to the Rwandan Genocide. Numerous attempts at peace reconciliation between Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC have consistently fallen short, while the proliferation of mining activities continues to exacerbate the already intense ethnic and militant unrest. Over 7 million people are displaced within the country, a number that continues to rise as instability persists. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports less than 30 percent of the needed humanitarian response funds have been secured, and the growth of these funds is dwindling.
Many international organizations and global leaders are advocating for the hundreds of millions in needed funding to support forging displacement solutions across the three identified countries, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of displacement. The demand for funding continues to grow across the continent. As we identify the dire circumstances across the countries, the United Nations’ message has been one of collective care and entity building to encourage mobilization towards the overall assistance of the large number of displaced people, especially as the necessary funding has begun to halt.
The humanitarian aid needed to address the severe issues of poverty, food insecurity, conflict, and climate change is crucial, as these circumstances jeopardize the security of civilians’ lives, leaving them reliant on aid that may never arrive.
Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner for Refugees, states a stark truth that needs to be remembered by all: “ Their safety should be our — your — paramount concern.” The wavering commitment to aid these dire situations will continue to result in millions without a land to return to while suffering gruesome hardships. No violence should be overlooked for another and no person should be forcibly pushed out of their homes. The cost of ignoring displaced people is not worth perpetuating an immeasurable cycle of chaos for millions without regard for their future.
