UNHCR Warns of Surge in Sudanese Refugees Fleeing to Chad Amid Severe Funding Shortfall

GENEVA — More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to eastern Chad so far this year, driven by ongoing fighting and worsening insecurity in Darfur, the Kordofans, and other regions of Sudan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced at a press briefing in Geneva.

According to Mamadou Dian Balde, UN Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation and UNHCR Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, border crossings in areas such as Adré and Tiné have surged recently to over 400 people per day—roughly 20 times the daily rate recorded over the preceding months. Nearly 1 million refugees have crossed into Chad since the conflict erupted in April 2023.

UNHCR reported that the humanitarian situation is particularly severe in Darfur, with growing concerns for Kordofan and Blue Nile states due to airstrikes, drone attacks, and general insecurity that hinder aid delivery. The agency noted that climate pressures, including drought and water scarcity, alongside potential flooding in the upcoming rainy season, are exacerbating displacement.

Newly arrived refugees, particularly women and girls, have reported grave violations during their journeys, including kidnapping and rape. In Tiné, a transit centre is currently accommodating more than 4,300 people under strained conditions, facing severe shortages of shelter, water, and sanitation.

Across the region, the conflict has created the world's largest displacement crisis, forcibly displacing approximately 11.3 million people, including 6.4 million internally and more than 3.5 million who have fled abroad. In Chad, over 190,000 refugees remain in border zones awaiting relocation to inland settlements, with some 31,000 families lacking adequate shelter and most surviving on less than half the daily minimum water requirement.

Despite the strain, Chad has integrated some displaced professionals into national services, recognizing qualifications for more than 400 health workers and authorizing at least 2,900 refugee teachers to work in eastern schools.

UNHCR also highlighted a significant increase in onward movement, noting that Sudanese arrivals by sea to Europe reached 14,104 in 2025—a 245 percent increase compared to 4,094 in 2024. The agency attributed these dangerous journeys partly to unmet protection and basic needs in initial countries of asylum.

The agency warned that the regional refugee response plan faces a severe shortfall, having received only 20 percent of its $1.6 billion funding requirement, and called on the international community to bolster financial support for displaced populations and host nations.

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