The Central Sahel area, and in particular the Liptako Gourma region, which borders Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, is affected by a complex crisis involving growing competition over dwindling resources; climatic variability; demographic pressure; high levels of poverty; disaffection and a lack of livelihood opportunities; communal tensions; the absence of state institutions and basic services; and violence related to organized crime and non-state armed groups. The crisis has triggered significant displacement of populations in the concerned countries and is affecting neighbouring countries such as Mauritania and the coastal countries.

As of August 2024, 3,150,710 individuals have been displaced, including 2,616,570 internally displaced persons (83% of the displaced population) and 534,140 refugees (17% of the displaced population). Sixty-seven per cent of the displaced populations (2,101,935 individuals) were located in Burkina Faso, while 14 per cent resided in Mali (422,029 individuals), 11 per cent in Niger (351,560 individuals) and 4 per cent in Mauritania (136,954 individuals). The crisis’ recent spill over to coastal countries, namely Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin, shows growing number of refugees coming from the Central Sahel and populations internally displaced. As of August, 138,232 individuals were affected by displacement within the four countries (25,852 in Benin, 58,079 in Côte d’Ivoire, 7,242 in Ghana and 47,059 in Togo) of which 34,088 were internally displaced.

The crisis currently affecting the Lake Chad Basin states results from a complex combination of factors, including conflict with non-state armed groups, extreme poverty, underdevelopment and a changing climate, which together have triggered significant displacement of populations.

As of August 2024, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria were hosting an estimated 6,067,908 affected individuals made up of internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees (former IDPs and returnees from abroad) and refugees (both in- and out-of-camp). Thirteen per cent of the affected population (777,656  individuals) were located in Cameroon, while 5 per cent resided in Chad (294,965 individuals), 9 per cent in Niger (558,416 individuals) and finally, 74 per cent in Nigeria (4,436,871 individuals). Overall, the numbers show a sharp increase in returnees from abroad (+45%) and sight decreases in IDPs (-1%), returnees former IDPs (-5%) and refugees (-1%) since December 2023.

The Central African Republic (CAR), which has experienced continuous volatility for the past two decades, has been riddled by a crisis which ignited in 2012 with a violent takeover of power and has developed into a complex protracted state of permanent insecurity and fragility which has spilled over into neighbouring countries. The crisis is characterized by power struggles amongst elites, the absence of state institutions and public investment, religious and ethnic tensions and disputes for the control of key resources. Moreover, the crisis in Sudan, which started in April 2023, is affecting the eastern part of the CAR witnessing arrivals of displaced populations.

As of August 2024, 4,039,349 individuals were affected, including 467,006 internally displaced persons (12% of the displaced population), 2,256,970 returnees former IDPs (56%), 531,919 returnees from abroad (13%) and 783,394 refugees (19%). In the CAR, the largest displaced population consists of former IDP returnees. Refugees from the CAR are primarily hosted by Cameroon (346,061 individuals, or 47% of the refugees), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (208,276 individuals, or 28% of the refugees) and Chad (138,225 individuals, or 19% of the refugees). Nonetheless, 11,008 refugees from the Central African Republic are still living in Sudan (2% of the refugees). The country is also home for refugees from neighbouring countries, hosting a total of 43,017 refugees coming from Sudan (29,043 individuals), the DRC (6,448 individuals), Chad (4,701 individuals) and South Soudan (2,825 individuals).

Since January to February 2024, several security incidents have occurred in the Lake province, affecting the subprefectures of Liwa, Bol, Bagasola, Kangalom, Ngouboua and Kaiga-Kindjiria, and resulting in population displacements. A total of 4,522 households (20,674 individuals) were affected by displacement between January and February 2024.. The large majority (77%) of affected persons during this period were members of local communities before displacement. Armed attacks were the main reason for displacement in 93 per cent of localities. In addition, 62 per cent of the displaced population came from the localities situated in Bol sub-prefecture (see table on page 2). The main needs of most displaced persons in the assessed localities are food (44%), shelter (34%) and non-food items (22%).

Since the beginning of 2024, several security incidents have occurred in the Lac province, resulting in population displacements. In May 2024, 422 households (1,526 individuals) were affected. All of the affected persons were members of the local communities before this new displacement. The main reason for their displacement was armed attacks (100%). In addition, all these persons left the Kaiga-Kindjiria sub-prefecture and sought refuge in the Daboua sub-prefecture. The main needs for the majority of displaced populations are food (33%), cash (33%), shelter (25%) and water (9%)

Overview
The Sudan Mobility Overview provides an in-depth analysis of displacement and mobility in Sudan between 01 July and 27 August 2024. This bi-monthly report summarizes displacement pathways, movement intentions, and humanitarian needs and access to services among IDPs in Sudan. 

DTM Sudan relies on a network of 492 enumerators and 7,217 key informants to collect data from 8,898 locations across all 18 states in Sudan.

Displacement Figures 

• DTM Sudan estimates that 10,834,382 individuals (2,186,855 households) are currently displaced in Sudan, as of 27 August 2024.
• An estimated 8,066,827 individuals were displaced since 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 2,344,904 individuals crossed borders into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023. 
• 28% of IDPs who were initially displaced prior to the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023 were displaced again after 15 April 2023. 
• 52% of IDPs were children under the age of 18-years-old. 

Highlights

• Over 20 per cent of the population in Sudan was displaced since 15 April 2023.
• An estimated 90 per cent of IDP households could reportedly not afford food.
• Nearly all IDPs (97%) were in localities with high levels of acute food insecurity or worse (IPC level 3+).
• An estimated 172,520 individuals were displaced due to floods between July and August 2024. Approximately 41 per cent were already displaced due to conflict prior to the onset of floods.
• IDPs were displaced from all 18 states in Sudan: over a third (34%) were displaced from Khartoum state.
• Sudan represents the largest displacement crisis in the world: Sudan hosts approximately 14 per cent of all IDPs worldwide, and approximately 1 in 7 IDPs is Sudanese.

DTM Europe gathers, validates and disseminates information on migrants and refugees travelling through the Mediterranean, Western African Atlantic, and Western Balkan routes to Europe. Key routes include:

• Eastern Mediterranean route (EMR): Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece
• Central Mediterranean route (CMR): Italy and Malta
• Western Mediterranean route (WMR): Peninsular Coasts of Spain, Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla
• Western African Atlantic route (WAAR): Canary Islands of Spain

DTM also monitors data on migrants in transit through the Western Balkans (WB) region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, and Kosovo*). These are considered separately to prevent to the extent possible the double counting of the same persons that cross multiple borders to reach Europe.

This report presents the latest available data and trends, focusing on 2023:

• Mixed Migration Flows to Europe
• Migrant Flows Monitoring in the Republic of Türkiye
• First Arrival countries (Italy, Greece, Spain) and other countries of first arrival (Bulgaria, Cyprus and Malta)
• Transits through the Western Balkan region
• Migrants' presence, in Europe and the Republic of Türkiye