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The United Nations (UN) has warned that around four million people are now displaced across Africa’s Sahel region, with violence, insecurity, and climate pressures forcing increasing numbers from their homes.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, urged the international community to step up support, saying the affected countries cannot manage the crisis alone.
“About four million people are now displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and neighbouring countries—around two-thirds more than five years ago—reflecting insecurity, limited access to services and livelihoods, and the effects of climate change,” said Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, UNHCR’s regional director for West and Central Africa.
While three-quarters of those displaced remain within their own countries, cross-border movements are rising, placing further strain on host communities with limited assistance.
Women and children make up 80 per cent of the forcibly displaced, and Gnon-Konde noted a sharp increase in gender-based violence this year.
The Sahel has been plagued by jihadist violence linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates for over a decade.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, led by military juntas, withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States earlier this year, accusing the bloc of failing to combat terrorism. They have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States, shifting away from France and forging closer ties with Russia.
Gnon-Konde highlighted that food insecurity and climate shocks are driving displacement while exacerbating competition over scarce resources such as water, heightening tensions between communities. Nearly 15,000 schools and over 900 health facilities in the region had closed by mid-2025.
UNHCR said it requires $409.7 million to meet humanitarian needs in the Sahel, but has received only 32 per cent of the funds.
The shortfall has severely affected refugee registration, education, health services, and shelter provision. More than 212,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger remain unregistered, limiting their access to aid and increasing their risk of arbitrary detention.
“UNHCR is calling for a renewed and strengthened international commitment to address the crisis,” Gnon-Konde said. “Countries in the region cannot face these challenges alone.”
