Faith Nyasuguta
Wars and extreme weather conditions have significantly increased the number of displaced persons within Africa, with the latest report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), released in Geneva on Tuesday, revealing that approximately 35 million Africans were living as displaced persons within their own countries in 2023.
This marks a sharp rise in displacement, with the number tripling over the past 15 years. Alarmingly, Africa now hosts almost half of the world’s internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The report identifies armed conflict as the leading cause of displacement, with 32.5 million people, or about 93% of displaced individuals, fleeing due to violence and war. Countries such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Somalia are the primary locations where most of these displaced people find refuge, collectively accounting for 80% of the displaced population.
Many individuals are being displaced multiple times, enduring long-term or repeated displacements due to ongoing conflicts in these regions.
However, the report also highlights that extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and floods, are increasingly contributing to displacement. In fact, last year, the number of people displaced by climate-related events rose dramatically, from 1.1 million in 2009 to 6.3 million by the end of 2023.
Flooding alone accounted for 75% of these climate-related displacements, with droughts responsible for 11%. The report suggests that as climate change worsens, the number of people forced to flee their homes due to natural disasters is expected to continue to rise.
Alexandra Bilak, the director of the IDMC, emphasized the critical nature of the displacement situation in Africa, saying, “The displacement situation in Africa is absolutely critical, but not hopeless. There are many good examples on the continent of governments working to address its root causes. It is important for them to keep ownership of this issue, and the international community must support their efforts.”
Bilak further stressed that it is not too late to help those whose lives have been turned upside down due to displacement but warned that there is no time to lose. “Helping them find solutions to their displacement is part and parcel of reaching a country’s development goals,” she said.
The report distinguishes between the number of internally displaced people and the incidents of displacement, which tracks the number of times people are forced to move. This distinction is important because many displaced individuals are forced to flee multiple times, often due to a combination of conflict and climate disasters. For example, in countries like Somalia and Sudan, people may initially flee armed conflict, only to be displaced again by floods or droughts.
The report also emphasizes the growing overlap between conflict and climate-related displacement. In Nigeria, people fleeing the violence caused by Boko Haram often find themselves once again displaced by floods, which occur almost every year in the region. This overlap presents a complicated challenge, as those who have already experienced the trauma of war and conflict are now dealing with the added hardship of climate-related disasters.
The IDMC’s report stresses the urgency of addressing both conflict and climate-induced displacement in a comprehensive manner. While the primary cause of displacement remains conflict, it is clear that climate change is exacerbating the crisis. The report calls for more effective strategies to address both issues, emphasizing that climate change is a long-term challenge that requires a coordinated, global response.
A spokesperson from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs commented on the increasing frequency of mass displacement due to flooding, stressing the need for humanitarian intervention. “There can be no humanitarian solution to the climate crisis,” the spokesperson said. “But the humanitarian system is adapting and responding to help people most affected by emergencies, building resilience to climate shocks.”
The report’s findings also call for more international support for African governments, many of which are working to address the root causes of displacement. While the situation is dire, the IDMC emphasizes that it is not too late to make a difference. Bilak concluded, “The situation in Africa requires urgent action, but with continued support and ownership from African governments, lasting solutions are possible.”
As the number of displaced persons in Africa continues to rise, it is clear that the continent faces a dual challenge: addressing the root causes of conflict while also mitigating the impacts of climate change. Unless urgent and coordinated efforts are made to tackle both issues, the number of displaced persons is likely to keep growing, further straining already vulnerable communities.
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