A Review of the IOM Report on Internal Displacement and Returns

By Dr. Ahmed Abdel Bagi

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) released its Sudan Internal Displacement Report No. 21 on September 15, 2025, covering displacement trends before and after April 15, 2023, up to August 2025. The report shows that internal displacement in Sudan declined by 15% over an eight-month period (January–September 2025), compared with Report No. 15 issued in January 2025. The decrease was attributed to returns to the states of Sennar, Al Jazirah, and Khartoum (see Return Monitoring Report No. 7).

The data also highlighted the resilience and generosity of Sudanese communities: 47% of internally displaced families were hosted by local households, with Sennar and Al Jazirah leading at 93% and 86% respectively. Housing rentals accounted for 4% of shelter solutions, while camps represented 17%. The report suggests that displacement figures have often been exaggerated on social media. By August 2025, approximately 1.65 million people had returned to their home states, alongside 485,000 returning from neighboring countries.

Internal Displacement within Sudan (up to August 2025)

The report documented 630 displacement incidents—an average of 24 per month. Of these, 69% were linked to armed conflict, while 31% were climate-related, including heavy rainfall in August 2025 that displaced 13,150 people. Flooding destroyed around 2,630 homes and 200 tents, while partially damaging 1,190 homes. Most affected families found shelter with relatives, in schools, open areas, or gathering sites.

Since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, up to August 2025, 9,819,680 people have been displaced across 10,847 sites in 185 localities within Sudan’s 18 states. Of this figure, 7.46 million were displaced after the war, while 2.36 million (28%) were already displaced before it. Sudanese nationals accounted for 99% of the displaced, with foreigners making up 1%—the largest share of whom were in White Nile State, where they represented 17% of the displaced population.

Displacement to Neighboring Countries

By August 2025, 4,306,398 people had crossed into neighboring countries—70% Sudanese, 30% foreign nationals. Egypt hosted 35% (1,514,827), South Sudan 29% (1,236,666), Chad 28% (1,190,495), Libya 142,809, the Central African Republic 45,386, and Ethiopia 176,217. Returns from these countries to Sudan totaled 481,338 people, primarily from Egypt (42%), South Sudan (33%), Libya (14%), Gulf countries (10%), and Chad (1%).

Age and Gender Distribution

Children under 18 made up 53% of all internally displaced persons (IDPs). Women represented 54% and men 46%. The breakdown is as follows:

Ages 18–59: 18% male, 21% female

Ages 6–17: 12% male, 14% female

Ages 1–5: 7% male, 9% female

Under 1 year: 5% male, 6% female

Shelter Patterns

IDPs were split between urban and rural areas: 58% settled in cities and 41% in rural zones. In northern states, 73% resided in rural areas, while in the Red Sea State, 96% were in urban centers. Shelter types included: local host families (47%), open areas (22%), camps (17%), schools/public buildings (7%), rentals (4%), and inadequate shelters (3%). Hosting levels were particularly high in Sennar (93%) and Al Jazirah (86%).

Signs of Return

The report brought positive news: internal displacement decreased by 15%—equivalent to 1,647,940 people—compared with the peak in January 2025, when the number of displaced reached 11.5 million (contrary to inflated figures of 17 million circulated on social media). By August 2025, the figure had dropped to 9,819,680 following the return of 1.7 million people across 11 of Sudan’s 18 states, in addition to 481,338 returnees from abroad.

Returnees mainly originated from: Kassala (18%), Red Sea (14%), Gedaref (10%), Al Jazirah (8%), White Nile (7%), River Nile (4%), and Blue Nile (4%). Many of these returnees went back to their original home states, particularly Al Jazirah, Khartoum, Sennar, White Nile, Blue Nile, and River Nile.

The states hosting the largest displaced populations are South Darfur (19%), North Darfur (18%), and Central Darfur (10%). States that have recently seen increased displacement include Khartoum (14%) and North Kordofan (3%).

Policy Implications and Recommendations

In the absence of reliable national statistics, such reports provide critical data for Sudanese authorities and humanitarian organizations to prioritize aid distribution, plan emergency interventions, and support durable solutions.

With return movements on the rise, the report stresses the importance of promoting voluntary returns by creating safe conditions—strengthening security through police-community partnerships, joint patrols, rapid response units, and the reinstatement of mounted police.

The report also calls on the state to intensify environmental health campaigns, encourage grassroots initiatives, and partner with civil society groups to promote waste management and public hygiene. It suggests reallocating government resources from ceremonial spending toward essential services, while also incentivizing the private sector. Companies contributing to social responsibility efforts—such as improving sanitation and local security—could be rewarded with tax exemptions.