NAIROBI, Kenya — The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Horn of Africa reached a staggering 20.4 million in October, reflecting a notable rise from 19.9 million in August, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The UN migration agency attributes this increase to escalating displacement in both Sudan and Burundi, as well as a combination of conflict and extreme weather events across the region.
In Sudan alone, the internal displacement crisis reached an unprecedented scale, with 11.4 million people forced from their homes—up sharply from 10.7 million just two months earlier.
This marked the first time the number has surpassed 11 million since violence erupted in April.
The agency estimates that 8.3 million of these Sudanese IDPs are sheltering within the country, while 3.1 million have sought refuge in neighboring nations.
Other nations in the region are also grappling with substantial IDP populations, with Somalia hosting 3.5 million, Ethiopia 3.3 million, and South Sudan 2 million, according to IOM data.
The IOM report highlights that persistent conflict, severe flooding, prolonged drought, and food insecurity are primary drivers of displacement throughout the Horn of Africa, with Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia particularly affected by these overlapping crises.
The agency’s report also noted that 65 million people across the region faced food insecurity as of October, including 36 million residing in IGAD member states, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Meanwhile, the overall number of refugees and asylum seekers dropped to 5.1 million in October, down from 5.4 million in August, the report stated.
The UN migration agency attributes this increase to escalating displacement in both Sudan and Burundi, as well as a combination of conflict and extreme weather events across the region.
In Sudan alone, the internal displacement crisis reached an unprecedented scale, with 11.4 million people forced from their homes—up sharply from 10.7 million just two months earlier.
This marked the first time the number has surpassed 11 million since violence erupted in April.
The agency estimates that 8.3 million of these Sudanese IDPs are sheltering within the country, while 3.1 million have sought refuge in neighboring nations.
Other nations in the region are also grappling with substantial IDP populations, with Somalia hosting 3.5 million, Ethiopia 3.3 million, and South Sudan 2 million, according to IOM data.
The IOM report highlights that persistent conflict, severe flooding, prolonged drought, and food insecurity are primary drivers of displacement throughout the Horn of Africa, with Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia particularly affected by these overlapping crises.
The agency’s report also noted that 65 million people across the region faced food insecurity as of October, including 36 million residing in IGAD member states, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Meanwhile, the overall number of refugees and asylum seekers dropped to 5.1 million in October, down from 5.4 million in August, the report stated.
