As Sudan’s civil war enters its third year, the humanitarian crisis in Central Africa is deepening, with over 25 million people facing acute food insecurity, and more than 1.2 million Sudanese refugees fleeing into eastern Chad, according to the United Nations. Speaking before the UN Security Council, Abdou Abarry, UN Special Representative for Central Africa and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), warned that the international community’s limited response risks worsening the already dire situation. “The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to generate new waves of displacement. Without coordinated global support, countries like Chad—already strained—will be overwhelmed,” Abarry said.
Chad is now hosting over 1.2 million Sudanese refugees, many of whom arrived after fleeing recent escalations in Darfur and Khartoum. The country has set up emergency humanitarian programs with UN support, but infrastructure and resources remain severely limited.
Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo, President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), echoed these concerns, citing not only the refugee crisis but a broader regional emergency: “Central Africa is dealing with multiple, interconnected crises. Over 13 million people have been forcibly displaced due to conflict, environmental degradation, and economic instability.” In addition to Sudan’s war, Abarry pointed to rising tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, warning that hostilities risk triggering a wider regional conflict unless diplomatic efforts are strengthened.
At the Security Council meeting, the United States called for deeper international partnerships to stabilize the region and boost humanitarian responses, while Russia urged reform of global financial systems to redirect development funds toward social and economic resilience in crisis-affected nations. The UN and regional leaders are urging donors to increase emergency aid, scale up long-term development assistance, and back conflict resolution initiatives across the Sahel and Central Africa, where overlapping conflicts, displacement, and economic hardship continue to devastate communities.
Key Facts:
- 25M+ people food insecure due to Sudan war
- 1.2M Sudanese refugees now in Chad
- 13M forcibly displaced across Central Africa
- DRC-Rwanda tensions threaten regional stability
