NAIROBI, Kenya — The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Horn of Africa reached 20.75 million at the end of 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This represents an increase from 20.42 million in October 2024.
The IOM attributed the rise primarily to a surge in IDPs in Sudan, where the figure increased by 340,744. “The increase…was due to the ongoing conflict affecting several states in the country and ongoing escalation in Al Jazirah State in November, as well as heavy rains and reported fires,” the IOM stated.
Between 20 October and 13 November 2024, an estimated 68,801 households were displaced from locations across Al Jazirah State due to heightened insecurity and escalating clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces militia. These individuals were reportedly displaced to 38 localities across seven states. The IOM noted that 15,129 of those displaced were already IDPs, experiencing secondary displacement as a result of the escalating conflict.
Other countries in the Horn of Africa region with high IDP populations include Somalia with 3.5 million, Ethiopia with 3.3 million, and South Sudan with 2 million. The primary drivers of displacement, according to the IOM, are conflict, floods, drought, and food insecurity, particularly in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
The IOM also reported a rise in the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the Greater Horn of Africa region, reaching 5.5 million, up from 5.1 million in October 2024.
Food insecurity continues to plague the region, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) reporting 67.4 million people facing food insecurity at the end of 2024. Of these, 38 million reside in IGAD member states, including Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
