More than five million displaced Sudanese have returned to their areas of origin, according to United Nations data released in September. This return movement coincides with an escalating hunger crisis, as humanitarian funding has plummeted and international agencies warn of severe operational shortfalls.
Return Movements Amid Ongoing Conflict
Nearly 4.65 million displaced civilians have returned to their areas in Sudan, as the number of internally displaced people due to the ongoing civil war continues to decline, the UN’s International Organization for Migration reported. Across wider regional counts, the total number of returnees has surpassed five million people returning to 77 localities across nine states, according to figures reported by the International Organization for Migration.
Surveys conducted across nearly 13,000 locations in 185 localities across all 18 Sudanese states indicate that internal displacement has dropped to roughly 8.69 million people. This reflects a 25% decline from peak displacement levels. Officials attribute this shift largely to growing return movements after the Sudanese army retook the states of Khartoum, Sennar, and Al-Jazirah from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Demographic data shows that children under 18 make up around half of both displaced populations and returnees.
The Complex Reality of Returning Home
While millions head back to the capital and surrounding regions where security is perceived to have improved, humanitarian officials caution that homecoming brings immediate hardships. Many families return to heavily damaged infrastructure where local services cannot support basic needs.
Data shows that 82% of returnees came from internal displacement locations within Sudan. Meanwhile, approximately 930,000 individuals returned from abroad, primarily from neighboring countries including Egypt, South Sudan, and Libya. Despite the declining internal displacement figures, Sudan still hosts one of the largest displaced populations in the world, while ongoing insecurity continues to displace residents in parts of Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile.
Humanitarian Funding Cuts Strain Relief Operations
While displacement patterns shift, aid agencies face severe financial pressures that threaten emergency relief pipelines. The World Food Programme’s funding for Sudan has fallen by about half compared to the previous year. Last year, the organization received $645 million, but funding stands at $206 million nearly three quarters into the current year.
Carl Skau, acting executive director of the World Food Programme, noted that access is no longer the primary hurdle for humanitarians on the ground. Instead, severe budget constraints limit operations. The World Food Programme reported that the gap required to sustain current operations sits just short of $300 million.
Budget cuts have forced relief organizations to narrow their focus. Although nearly 20 million people face hunger in Sudan, the World Food Programme has been forced to target 5 million people most in need, scaling up to reach 4 million of them. In North Darfur’s Tawila, where approximately 1 million people live in makeshift conditions, the agency provides only half-rations covering two weeks of food per month.
Pipeline Collapse Warnings and Operational Future
The broader humanitarian network faces similar constraints following significant cuts to foreign assistance from major donor nations, including the United States. International Organization for Migration Director General Amy Pope warned that emergency relief supplies for hundreds of thousands of displaced people could run out within weeks.
“The entire humanitarian system could collapse within weeks if we don’t act now.”
Director General Amy Pope
Supplies of shelter materials, sanitation items, and emergency household goods are projected to run out by the end of September. The International Organization for Migration states that it requires $15 million to maintain the aid pipeline for the remainder of the year to support roughly 305,000 people. Without these funds, more than 100 humanitarian organizations will struggle to deliver lifesaving aid, leaving communities vulnerable to secondary displacement.