This week, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned that the number of Sudanese refugees who have fled to neighboring countries since the beginning of Sudan's civil war in 2023 has surpassed four million.
In particular, a humanitarian emergency is deepening in eastern Chad, where the number of Sudanese refugees has more than tripled in just over two years of conflict.
On Tuesday, June 3, a statement from the UNHCR reported that four million people have left Sudan to reach neighboring countries since the start of the civil war on April 15, 2023.
The agency described this as a "devastating milestone in what is the world's most damaging displacement crisis at the moment. If the conflict continues in Sudan (...) we expect thousands more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake."
During a press briefing, Dossou Patrice Ahouansou, UNHCR's Principal Situation Coordinator in Chad, warned against a "growing humanitarian emergency" in eastern Chad, where the number of Sudanese refugees has more than tripled.
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Over 844,000 Sudanese refugees in Chad since April 2023
"Since April 2023, more than 844,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad. Prior to this latest crisis, Chad was hosting approximately 409,000 Sudanese refugees who had fled earlier waves of conflict in Darfur between 2003 and 2023. In just over two years, the country has seen this refugee population surge to over 1.2 million people", Ahouansou continued, explaining that the most recent arrivals to Chad were reported at the end of April 2025, following violent attacks by armed groups in North Darfur in early April.
UNHCR protection teams have interviewed nearly 7,000 newly-arrived refugees since late April, "uncovering harrowing accounts of violence and loss," the agency reported.
"A staggering 72 percent reported serious human rights violations, including physical and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and forced recruitment; 60 percent said they had been separated from family members. As well as a displacement emergency, there is a devastating children's crisis unfolding," the UNHCR coordinator also said.
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'Response dangerously underfunded'
"Despite the efforts of humanitarian partners and local authorities, the emergency response remains dangerously underfunded,"explained Ahouansou.
"Shelter conditions are equally dire. Only 14 percent of current needs are being met, leaving tens of thousands exposed to extreme weather and insecurity. Refugees currently receive only 5 liters of water per person per day, well below the international standard of 15 to 20 liters for basic daily needs. This severe shortage forces families to make impossible choices that put their health and dignity at risk. Additionally, around 290,000 refugees remain stranded at the border, exposed to the elements, insecurity and the risk of further violence," he added.
"As part of the Sudan Regional Refugee Response, UNHCR and partners in Chad are urgently seeking 553.7 million dollars (around 484.9 million euros) to respond to the life-saving needs of refugees fleeing Sudan into eastern Chad, including protection, shelter, food, water and sanitation," the coordinator explained.