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GENEVA

The number of people forcibly displaced by war, violence and persecution has reached a record 122.1 million worldwide, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Thursday, calling the situation “untenably high.”

According to UNHCR’s Global Trends Report, displacement rose from 120 million last year, extending a decade-long upward trend driven by conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine and beyond.

"The number of people displaced by war, violence and persecution worldwide is untenably high, particularly as humanitarian funding evaporates," the agency said. "The only bright spot being a pickup in returns, notably to Syria."

Sudan now faces the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million people displaced, surpassing Syria with 13.5 million, Afghanistan with 10.3 million and Ukraine with 8.8 million, the report said.

"We are living in a time of intense volatility ... marked by acute human suffering. We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

Contrary to widespread assumptions, 67% of refugees remain in neighboring countries and 60% never cross international borders. Low- and middle-income countries host 73% of the global refugee population.

Internally displaced people numbered 73.5 million by the end of 2024, while refugees totaled 42.7 million.

Despite stagnant funding levels since 2015, the report notes that 9.8 million people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees — the highest number in over two decades — and 8.2 million who were internally displaced.

"Nearly two million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted," Grandi said, while cautioning that returns often happen under fragile conditions.

UNHCR called for urgent investment to support returns, host communities, and humanitarian programs essential for stability and security.