The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has revealed that 280,000 Sudanese refugees are stranded in informal border areas without adequate protection services, as a lack of funding has hindered their relocation to safer zones.
UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado stated in a press briefing, “Funding shortages are preventing the transfer of new arrivals to safer areas, away from temporary shelters along the borders in countries like Chad and South Sudan.”
She reported that 280,000 refugees remain stuck in makeshift border locations, lacking sufficient protection services, healthcare, clean water, and shelter.
Sarrado added that global cuts in humanitarian aid are forcing refugees to resort to harmful coping strategies to meet their basic needs. Safe spaces in host countries are closing, social workers are being laid off, leaving tens of thousands of women and girls without counseling, healthcare, or vital support.
She continued, “The lack of peace, sufficient aid, and opportunities in host countries is pushing more people to seek safety beyond neighboring nations. Over 70,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Uganda, while others continue dangerous attempts to reach Europe.”
She noted that the number of Sudanese arriving in Europe remains low, although arrivals increased by 38% in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. “We fear that other refugees may soon have no choice but to follow the same path,” she said.
Sarrado also mentioned that the pause in fighting in Khartoum has allowed aid deliveries for the first time in two years, with thousands starting to return to the capital and Al-Jazirah State. However, she emphasized that the number of returnees remains small compared to the millions displaced.
The UNHCR and its partners are working to expand support to families who have chosen to return, despite the widespread destruction of infrastructure and essential services.
