Surge in Internal Displacement Signals Escalating Global Crisis

(MENAFN) At the close of 2024, an unprecedented 83.4 million individuals were living in internal displacement, representing the highest figure ever documented, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025, published on Tuesday.

This figure, unveiled by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) under the Norwegian Refugee Council, has more than doubled since 2018, now mirroring the population size of Germany.

The study highlights that armed conflict and violence were the principal causes, accounting for approximately 90 percent of displacement cases, impacting 73.5 million people.

Sudan emerged as the most severely affected nation, reporting 11.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs)—the highest tally ever recorded for a single country.

This figure represented nearly 60 percent of all global conflict-related displacement, while the Gaza Strip experienced the mass displacement of almost its entire population.

“These latest numbers prove that internal displacement is not just a humanitarian crisis; it’s a clear development and political challenge that requires far more attention than it currently receives,” stated Alexandra Bilak, Director of the IDMC.

Her comments underscore the need for a more integrated and sustained response beyond emergency aid.

In parallel, natural disasters were responsible for 45.8 million internal displacements throughout 2024—marking the highest annual figure since records began in 2008.

The United States alone accounted for 11 million movements linked to disasters, the largest ever registered by any nation within a single year.

The report attributes 99.5 percent of disaster-related displacements to climate-driven phenomena, especially cyclones and flooding.

“This year’s figures must act as a wake-up call for global solidarity,” urged Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, who described the absence of political commitment and funding as a “moral stain on humanity.”

His call emphasizes the need for collective international action to tackle the growing crisis of internal displacement.

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