In 2024, the humanitarian situation in Colombia was shaped both by progress in implementing strategies aimed at finding negotiated solutions to the armed conflict, and by the persistence of violence and the impact of natural disasters, which affected more than 2.5 million people. In response, Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) partners provided complementary assistance to 1.2 million people in 437 municipalities across 32 departments, prioritizing support for mass displacements (74%), confinements (66%), and disaster-related emergencies (22%).
At least 456,000 people were affected by both mass and individual displacements, confinements, and mobility restrictions in departments such as Cauca, Chocó, Putumayo, Caquetá, and Antioquia. Confinements rose by 57% compared to the previous year, reaching the highest figure recorded since 2008. While mass displacements decreased, individual displacements showed an upward trend. In 2024, the impact of humanitarian emergencies was no longer limited to Colombia’s Pacific region and border areas, with new emergencies reported in territories such as Amazonas, Vichada, Cesar, Córdoba, Magdalena, and La Guajira.
Natural disasters reached unprecedented levels in 2024, affecting 2,065,725 people, according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), marking a 417% increase compared to 2023. Amid the El Niño phenomenon, 73% of climate-related emergencies were reported, causing droughts, forest fires, and crop losses in rural areas. These events severely impacted communities in Colombia’s Caribbean region and the Amazon, where agriculture and access to water resources are essential for subsistence and the provision of basic goods and services.
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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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