Norway Aid Group: Sudan, DR Congo Top World's Most Neglected Crises

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has identified Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Colombia as the world's most neglected displacement crises. The aid group released its findings on Thursday, highlighting the severe humanitarian situations in these nations.

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It is incomprehensible that a displacement crisis of similar proportions to the crises in Syria and Ukraine at their peak can continue to worsen almost unnoticed.

Sudan, ravaged by conflict between rival generals since 2023, is experiencing a massive displacement crisis, with over nine million people internally displaced. An additional four million Sudanese have fled to neighboring countries, and nearly 19.5 million are suffering from hunger. NRC chief Jan Egeland expressed disbelief that a crisis of such magnitude, comparable to peak situations in Syria and Ukraine, is worsening largely unnoticed. He attributed this to countries becoming more inward-looking and prioritizing national security, leading to a neglect of global humanitarian needs.

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Countries have become much more inward-looking, more nationalist. Rearmament is now an absolute priority because we have to ensure our own security in Europe. There is Putin threatening us, and so on. But people then forget that there will be pandemics, migratory movements, and enormous loss of human life if we don't invest in hope on other continents.

Egeland warned that failing to invest in hope on other continents could lead to future pandemics, mass migration, and immense loss of life. He pointed out Africa's proximity to Europe and stated that the continent's collapse would have consequences for Europe as well. The Democratic Republic of Congo, grappling with decades of conflict compounded by an Ebola epidemic in its eastern region, has appeared on the NRC's list for ten consecutive years. In 2025, only 27.4 percent of the required funding for DR Congo has been secured, leaving over 21 million people in need.

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Africa is just across the Mediterranean, where we go on holiday. And if the continent collapses, we will also suffer the consequences.

"This is a testament to the world's failure to respond to crises that are not regarded as strategically important for rich countries," Egeland stated in the NRC release. "Millions of people are being abandoned because we have chosen not to act, not because we cannot." The NGO's ranking is based on three criteria: insufficient humanitarian funding, minimal media coverage, and a lack of political will from the international community. Several African nations, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, and Nigeria, have repeatedly appeared on the list, indicating a "systemic pattern of deliberate neglect." The top 10 most neglected crises for 2025 include Sudan, DR Congo, Colombia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Honduras, Ecuador, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Mozambique.

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This is a testament to the world's failure to respond to crises that are not regarded as strategically important for rich countries. Millions of people are being abandoned because we have chosen not to act, not because we cannot.