UN report: More than 122 million people on the run

Violent conflicts and civil wars continue to force millions of people to flee their homes around the world. According to the annual World Refugee Report published Thursday by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) , the number increased by another two million as of April 2025. This means that at the end of this month, 122.1 million children, women, and men were considered displaced worldwide. The figures include both those displaced within their own country and those who have fled to other countries.

This means that the number of forcibly displaced people has nearly doubled in the last ten years. At the same time, according to the United Nations , funding for humanitarian aid remains at the same level as in 2015. This is due to cuts and even cancellations of government humanitarian aid.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called on the international community to intensify its diplomatic efforts, saying the goal must be to build peace and find long-term solutions for refugees.

Sudan crisis

According to the UN report, the world's largest displacement crisis is taking place in Sudan . In 2024, approximately 13.5 million people were displaced there due to the ongoing civil war. Sudan thus replaces Syria as the previous main country of displacement. It is followed by Afghanistan with approximately 10.3 million and Ukraine with approximately 8.8 million displaced people.

According to the UNHCR, many more people are displaced within their own country than across borders. Sixty percent of those forcibly displaced are fleeing within their home country. More than two-thirds of the world's refugees live in their immediate neighboring country.

More returnees than before

For the first time in years, the organization can also report a positive trend: In 2024, more displaced people returned to their homes than in previous years. The number of displaced people stood at 123.2 million at the end of 2024 and fell to 122.1 million by the end of April 2025. This slight decline is primarily due to Syrians who began their return journey after the official end of the civil war in December 2024. According to UNHCR Chief Grandi, almost two million Syrians have now returned to their homeland .

Nevertheless, there is still a need for support in Syria, the UN agency emphasizes. The situation there remains fragile; people need help to rebuild their lives, according to the UNHCR.

Decline in Germany

According to the UNHCR, the number of asylum seekers in Germany declined significantly in 2024. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees registered a total of 250,945 asylum applications, including 229,751 first-time applications – a decrease of more than 30 percent compared to the previous year.

ch/se (afp, kna, dpa, epd, rtr)