Sudan tops global humanitarian crisis watchlist for third year

• Sudan tops the Global Emergency Watchlist for the third consecutive year amid what aid groups describe as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

• Palestine ranks second, followed by South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Haiti.

Sudan has once again topped the Global Emergency Watchlist published by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), ranking first for the third consecutive year as conflict and displacement continue to devastate the country.

The watchlist, released Tuesday, highlights the 20 countries most at risk of new humanitarian emergencies or the worsening of existing crises. Following Sudan on the list are the Palestinian territories, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Haiti.

- “Largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded” -

David Miliband, president and chief executive officer of the International Rescue Committee, said the situation in Sudan reflects a systemic global failure to respond to crises in a timely and meaningful way.

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“What we are witnessing on the ground is not a tragic accident”, Miliband said in a statement. “The world is not only failing to respond to the crisis, but actions and rhetoric are actively making it worse and prolonging it”.

He added that Sudan’s continued position at the top of the list is evidence of this failure. “The scale of the crisis in Sudan, now the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded, shows how broken the current response system has become”, he said.

- Mass displacement and violence -

More than 12 million people have been displaced by the war in Sudan, according to humanitarian agencies. Many of those fleeing have been subjected to looting, violence, and family separation, with widespread reports of sexual assault.

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Aid workers say they lack the resources needed to assist displaced civilians, leaving millions without adequate food, shelter, or medical care.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has raged since April 2023, killing tens of thousands of people and forcing millions from their homes. The United Nations has described the situation as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

- Palestinian territories rank second -

The Palestinian territories ranked second on the watchlist, reflecting the scale of humanitarian need amid ongoing ‘Israeli’ aggression, mass displacement, and widespread destruction, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Haiti followed, each facing a mix of conflict, political instability, climate shocks, and economic collapse.

- Disproportionate global impact -

The International Rescue Committee said the 20 countries on the watchlist are home to just 12 percent of the world’s population, yet account for 89 percent of people in need of humanitarian assistance worldwide.

The organization warned that these same countries are projected to host more than half of the world’s population living in extreme poverty by 2029 if current trends continue.

- Other countries on the list -

Other countries included on the watchlist are Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.

The committee urged donor governments to increase funding and prioritize long-term solutions, warning that continued inaction will lead to deeper suffering and further instability across some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.