Sudanese refugee flows into Chad surge twentyfold as aid falls short

UNHCR has observed a dramatic escalation in Sudanese refugees entering eastern Chad, with daily numbers exceeding 400, a twentyfold jump from recent months. Those fleeing come from the war-torn regions of Darfur, Kordofan and the Blue Nile, as well as from areas suffering severe drought. Mamadou Dian Balde, the UN Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan situation, noted that only 18% of the $1.6 billion funding needed this year has been secured, constraining food supplies, shelter capacity and relocation efforts.

The agency cautions that insufficient aid could trigger secondary migrations toward Europe. The broader conflict has already displaced up to 14 million Sudanese, devastated harvests and crippled the economy. Since the war began, nearly 1 million Sudanese have crossed into Chad, with more than 55,000 arriving this year.