Millions fleeing Sudan’s war risk losing shelter as funds run low

Millions of individuals displaced by the ongoing civil war in Sudan are facing the severe threat of going without emergency shelter, driven by critical funding shortages and rapidly depleting aid supplies. According to warnings issued jointly by the United Nations refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration, humanitarian organizations are currently able to prioritize assistance for only a fraction of those who desperately require help. An estimated 15.4 million people across the nation are in urgent need of basic household items and emergency shelter. However, due to resource constraints, only 936,000 individuals have received assistance thus far, leaving a massive gap between available resources and actual requirements on the ground.

The conflict, which erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis. Approximately 8.6 million people have been displaced internally within the country, while more than 4.6 million have fled across international borders. Additionally, over 5.2 million people have returned to their places of origin, frequently discovering that local infrastructure, homes, and basic services have been entirely destroyed. For families caught in repeated cycles of conflict, a secure place to sleep and basic household items represent vital pillars of dignity and safety, especially for vulnerable demographics such as children and women. For returning residents, shelter assistance serves as the fundamental first step toward rebuilding their lives.

Sudan millions displaced by ongoing conflict

Speaking from Khartoum, the chief of IOM Sudan, Mohamed Refaat, emphasized that the agency is struggling to sustain operations as dwindling resources take a heavy toll. Refaat noted that while the agency distributed over 40,000 tonnes of supplies this year, current warehouses remain completely empty. Humanitarian agencies have already been forced to scale back their operational ambitions due to the limited funding available, raising concerns that the total count of internally displaced persons could climb further despite recent returns. Both agencies have issued a strong appeal for immediate, flexible funding to replenish emergency stocks and avert a worsening humanitarian catastrophe for displaced Sudanese populations.

Millions of displaced Sudanese face losing emergency shelter as humanitarian aid stocks and funding run critically low.

Why it matters

The funding crisis directly impacts millions of vulnerable people who rely entirely on humanitarian aid for basic survival and dignity amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Without immediate financial support to replenish empty warehouses, humanitarian agencies cannot sustain vital supply pipelines, leaving displaced families and returning residents without the means to rebuild their lives.