Despite generous support from our donors, 50 per cent of UNICEF’s response remained unfunded in 2025. Urgent additional support is needed in 2026 to sustain and scale lifesaving services for the most vulnerable children.
In 2025, the MENA region faced overlapping crises including conflict, displacement, economic collapse, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks, placing children at risk and disrupting access to services.
Since February 2025, 190,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in countries neighboring South Sudan, including an estimated 45,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 39,000 in Ethiopia, 75,000 in Sudan, and 30,000 in Uganda.
The Sudan crisis has become the world’s largest displacement and protection emergency. Since April 2023, some 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, of whom nearly 12 million remain displaced —7.3 million within Sudan and over 4.2 million across borders into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda
In September, the security situation in Darfur and Kordofan States remained highly volatile and unpredictable, marked by intensified military confrontations, drone strikes, aerial bombardments and increasing intercommunal tension, leading to widespread insecurity, civilian displacement and growing humanitarian needs.
A total of 164,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in countries neighboring South Sudan, including an estimated 33,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 35,000 in Ethiopia, 70,000 in Sudan, and 26,000 in Uganda. In addition, over 131,000 Sudanese refugees have returned from South Sudan in recent months.
Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan on 15 April 2023, Africa Region faced a large-scale humanitarian crisis marked by one of the most significant displacement movements in recent years. Millions of people fled the violence, crossing into Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Since the start of the conflict, some 164,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including an estimated 33,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 35,000 in Ethiopia, 70,000 in Sudan, and 26,000 in Uganda.
The Sudan crisis has triggered the largest displacement and protection emergency in the world today. Over 14 million people have been forced to flee since April 2023, with 12 million remaining displaced, including over 3.2 million refugees and asylum-seekers who have crossed borders into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda as of mid-2025.
Despite urgent needs, 62 per cent of UNICEF’s response remains unfunded. Without timely support, the most vulnerable children risk missing access to critical, lifesaving services.
According to a statement by the UN Spokesperson, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, civilians remain cut off without access to food and clean water, and public health is deteriorating amid outbreaks of diseases like cholera.
In 2025, the Regional RRP is designed to target the needs of 2.53 million refugees and 1.84 million members of the host community in the five main asylum countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.
There are now 12.0 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.7 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries.
UNHCR has declared an internal Level 2 emergency for Ethiopia and Sudan due to the escalating crisis in South Sudan, which will remain in force for six months until November 2025.
There are now 12.0 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.7 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries.
Due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan with more than 124 million forcibly displaced, out of which 3.4 million fled into neighbouring countries, the Federation-wide Emergency Appeal was revised, increasing the total funding ask from the initial CHF 42 million to CHF 47.5 million and extending the operation end date to December 2025.
Since October 7, 2023, hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have escalated to unprecedented levels, resulting in immense humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).
UNHCR is engaging with thousands of refugees in neighboring countries, often with daily contact through helplines, surveys, focus group discussions, and other communications channels, listening to their concerns, providing up-to-date information, and understanding their perceptions and intentions around return.
Over the past 14 years, more than 13 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes, and 90% of people inside Syria require some form of humanitarian assistance. The recent developments across Syria will impact millions of people’s lives both inside the country and within the region.
Over the past 14 months, more than 44,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — have been killed in Gaza. Nearly all of Gaza’s residents have been displaced — many multiple times.
