Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Record numbers displaced by conflict and disaster

Record numbers displaced by conflict and disaster

New data shows an all-time high of 71.1 million internally displaced people, with war in Ukraine exacerbating food insecurity
The number of people displaced by conflict and disaster in their home countries hit a record high last year, according to new data from a leading international monitor.

In its annual report, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) writes that 71.1 million people were living in internal displacement at the end of 2022, a massive increase on the 59.2 million figure at the end of 2021.

Fully 17 million of last year's displacements were driven by the conflict in Ukraine, the organisation said, while monsoon floods in Pakistan were responsible for 8.2 million.

“Today’s displacement crises are growing in scale, complexity and scope, and factors like food insecurity, climate change and escalating and protracted conflicts are adding new layers to this phenomenon,” said IDMC director Alexandra Bilak. "There is an increasing need for durable solutions to meet the scale of the challenges facing displaced people."

Crucially, the report draws a clear link between internal displacement and food security, a relationship that flows in two directions. The war in Ukraine has sent a shockwave through the world food system, as vitally important grain cultivation and exports were both suddenly endangered. The ensuing supply crunch, according to the IDMC, has hit already internally displaced people the hardest.

That finding dovetails with another recent report, this one from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, which detailed how the Russian invasion “triggered an unprecedented peak in international food prices”. And many of the countries most affected by both conflict and food insecurity have been experiencing mass internal displacement for years.

In fact, the two reports overlap substantially when it comes to the worst-affected countries. According to the IDMC, almost 75% of the world’s internally displaced people live in 10 countries: Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ukraine, Colombia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan; the FAO, meanwhile, reports that 40% of the world's hungriest people live in DRC, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Yemen alone.

The IDMC report gives detailed accounts of the way different factors are interacting. In DRC there are more than 120 different armed groups still involved in violent conflict, and some 5.7 million people were living in internal displacement in the country by the end of the year.

Some of the armed groups involved have deliberately targeted food stocks – and as the report explains, this leaves displaced people in especially dire situation. "Forced to leave their homes, lands and livelihoods behind when they flee, they become less able to produce food for themselves and their communities, rendering staple items increasingly rare and expensive."

Other countries saw existing displacement crises badly exacerbated by disasters, with around of 31.8 million people forced to leave their homes around the world by floods, droughts and storms alone. The worst-affected region was South Asia, mainly thanks to the massive floods in Pakistan, but the Philippines and China also saw millions of people displaced by natural catastrophes.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×