More than a thousand Sudanese refugees have either arrived in or attempted to reach Europe in the early months of 2025, according to a report from the United Nations refugee agency on Friday. The agency linked the sharp rise in numbers to growing desperation amid significant cuts to humanitarian aid across the region.
The ongoing two-year war between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces has displaced around 12 million people, prompting UN officials to label the situation as the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world today.
While some displaced Sudanese have returned to the capital, Khartoum, the majority remain stuck in neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Chad. Conditions in these host nations are deteriorating, made worse by reductions in refugee support — including cutbacks by the United States, which is currently reassessing its aid commitments.
UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado, speaking in Geneva, revealed that approximately 484 Sudanese refugees reached Europe in January and February 2025 — a 38% increase compared to the same period last year. A further 937 were intercepted at sea and sent back to Libya, more than twice the number recorded in early 2024.
“As humanitarian aid crumbles and if the war does not abate, many more will have little choice than to join them,” Sarrado warned.
The Mediterranean remains one of the most perilous migration routes globally. The UN migration agency reported a record number of migrant deaths last year, underscoring the extreme risks faced by those fleeing conflict and instability.