Sudan has once again been ranked the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis, topping the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) 2026 Emergency Watchlist for the third consecutive year. The list, released on Tuesday, highlights 20 countries at risk of escalating humanitarian emergencies, with the occupied Palestinian territories ranked second. The IRC warns that the world is entering a “New World Disorder,” marked by intensifying crises and a sharp decline in funding for vulnerable populations. Many conflicts, it notes, are fueled by struggles for power and profit. In Sudan, warring parties and their international backers have profited from the gold trade, worsening civilian suffering.
Africa dominates the list, with six of the ten most crisis-affected countries, including South Sudan (third), Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Globally, the 20 countries account for 12% of the world population but represent 89% of humanitarian needs. Other nations on the list include Haiti, Lebanon, Ukraine, Syria, and Yemen, many of which have endured prolonged conflicts. The IRC cautions that without urgent action, 2026 could become the deadliest year yet and calls for binding international measures, such as suspending the UN Security Council veto in cases of mass atrocities.
Sudan’s crisis erupted in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated into open warfare. The UN estimates more than 40,000 deaths, though aid groups warn the toll may be far higher. The conflict has displaced over 14 million people, triggered disease outbreaks, and caused famine in several regions, creating the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
