Sudan conflict drives record refugee flow into Chad – U.N.

October 16, 2024 (UNITED NATIONS) – Nearly 25,000 people fled Sudan for Chad in the first week of October, the highest weekly influx this year, as conflict intensifies, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

The surge brings the total number of Sudanese refugees who have escaped the country since hostilities erupted 18 months ago to almost 3 million, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“That’s the highest number of new arrivals this year within a single week – and higher than in the whole month of September,” Dujarric said.

Chad now hosts more than 600,000 Sudanese refugees, more than any other nation. Refugees are also seeking safety in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Uganda.

Within Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 40,000 people were internally displaced in the first half of October, bringing the total number to 8.2 million.

Many families arriving in Chad are exhausted after walking for days through conflict zones, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said. Health facilities are overwhelmed, and funding shortages are hindering the provision of basic services.

“UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Response Plan appeal for $1.5 billion to support refugees, returnees and host communities is only 27% funded,” Dujarric said.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called for an immediate end to the fighting and urged all parties to protect civilians and allow aid access. With the rainy season ending, aid groups face a crucial window to deliver vital supplies.

Sudan is also battling a cholera outbreak. As of Tuesday, over 24,000 cases and 700 deaths have been reported since mid-July. The U.N. is working with Sudanese authorities to scale up the response, including immunization efforts.