Attachments
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
By the end of 2024, the East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region hosted about 5.6 million refugees and asylum-seekers and 20.71 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), totalling 26.3 million displaced people. The majority of refugees and asylum-seekers were in Uganda (1.8 million), Ethiopia (1.1 million), Sudan (838,000) and Kenya (824,000). Internally displaced persons were mainly in Sudan (11.6 million), Ethiopia (3.3 million), Somalia (3.9 million), South Sudan (1.8 million) and Burundi (86,000). Some 445,000 refugees had been documented as having returned to their countries of origin since the start of the year.
The region continues to grapple with multiple crises.
The El Niño-triggered heavy rains affected over 2.8 million people across Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. The crisis impacted refugees and IDPs, displacing thousands of people within their countries. UNHCR and partners provided life-saving assistance and protection to the affected populations, while addressing significant challenges compounded by Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
On 19 November, the 2025 UNHCR Global Appeal seeking USD 10 billion was launched, targeting urgent humanitarian needs for over 139 million refugees, displaced persons, and stateless individuals. The appeal focuses on emergency response, inclusion, and long-term solutions, aiming to integrate displaced populations into local systems for education, healthcare, and employment. With the launch of the appeal, the High Commissioner called for global solidarity and innovative solutions to address forced displacement driven by conflict, persecution, and climate change, with some of the largest funding needs concentrated in Africa.