Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed a surge in internal displacements in 2023, totaling 19.5 million individuals, according to a report released yesterday by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC). This marks a significant increase from 16.5 million in 2022, constituting 42% of the global total.

Conflict and violence remain the primary drivers behind these massive population movements, accounting for 13.5 million displacements. Sudan, grappling with political and social unrest, accounted for 45% of this total, exceeding 6 million individuals. Following closely, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recorded the second-highest figure (over 3.7 million people displaced) due to persistent political and ethnic tensions.

Countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso are also experiencing significant displacements due to prolonged conflicts.

Another significant cause is natural disasters, which had a profound impact on the region. Devastating floods in the Horn of Africa, triggered by persistent drought, resulted in 6 million displacements. Cyclone Freddy emerged as one of the most destructive storms, particularly affecting Malawi and Mozambique.

As of the end of 2023, the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in sub-Saharan Africa stands at 34.8 million, representing 46% of the global total of 68.3 million IDPs. This worrisome trend underscores the urgent need for concerted regional and international action.

In 2009, the African Union adopted the Kampala Convention, aimed at bolstering the protection of internally displaced persons within their own countries. While praised by international humanitarian organizations, its implementation faces challenges, including ratification by all member states and integration into domestic law, as noted by the International Red Cross. The organization suggested that states must allocate more human, financial, technical, and political resources to prevent and manage internal displacement situations.