Sudan, DRC, Colombia Top List of World's Most Neglected Displacement Crises

Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Colombia are facing the world's most severe and overlooked displacement crises, according to a new report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The report highlights that Sudan, ravaged by conflict between rival generals since 2023, has over nine million internally displaced people and nearly 19.5 million facing hunger.

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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.

Jan Egeland, NRC chief, expressed dismay that a crisis of similar magnitude to peak levels in Syria and Ukraine is worsening with little notice. He attributed this neglect to countries becoming more inward-looking and prioritizing national security and rearmament due to perceived threats like Russia's actions. Egeland warned that neglecting these crises could lead to pandemics, mass migration, and significant loss of life, impacting even continents like Europe which are geographically close to Africa.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) appears on the NRC's list for the tenth consecutive year, compounded by an Ebola epidemic and decades of conflict in its eastern regions. In 2025, only 27.4 percent of the required funding for the DRC was secured, leaving over 21 million people in need.

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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.

Egeland criticized the international community's failure to respond to crises not deemed strategically important to wealthy nations. He stated that millions are being abandoned not due to a lack of capacity to help, but a lack of political will. The NRC's list is compiled based on three criteria: insufficient humanitarian funding, minimal media coverage, and a lack of political engagement from the international community.

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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.

Several African nations, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, and Nigeria, have repeatedly featured on the NRC's list, indicating a systemic pattern of neglect. The top ten most neglected crises for 2025 include Sudan, DRC, Colombia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Honduras, Ecuador, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Mozambique, affecting tens of millions across three continents.

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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.