Of the estimated 45 million forcibly displaced Africans, more than 75% live in their home countries, and of those who are not, more than 95% live on the continent.
Tragically, the number of forcibly displaced Africans continues to rise steadily. It has been increasing every year for over ten years in a row. In fact, the number has doubled since 2018, with more than 45 million people now forcibly displaced.
However, contrary to many people's expectations, only a small percentage of these Africans make their way to Europe. According to the United Nations refugee agency, as of mid-last year, 45 million Africans were displaced, more than three-quarters of whom were internally displaced persons, or internally displaced persons. Although they no longer live in their home communities, they still live in their countries of origin. The US-based African Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) estimates that the number of internally displaced people in Africa has nearly tripled since 2017, increasing by nearly 2 million people in the first half of 2024. The recent escalation in fighting in Sudan's civil war has resulted in “the largest internally displaced population ever reported,” the United Nations says. It is therefore not surprising that, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, almost half of the world's internally displaced persons are Africans.
Of the millions of displaced Africans fleeing their home countries, the overwhelming majority do not leave the continent, but instead migrate to areas deemed safer or with better economic opportunities. According to the Institute for Security Studies, as of mid-2024, there were approximately 8.9 million African refugees and 1.1 million African asylum seekers. According to ACSS, as many as 98% of those displaced choose to remain on the continent, creating tensions in the region.
Why is this important?
First, many of the African countries hosting large internally displaced and refugee communities are among the least financially resourceful on the continent. Unfortunately, this trend is not limited to Africa. More than 70% of the world's refugees are hosted by low- to middle-income countries. In the case of Somalia, which hosted more than 3 million internally displaced people as of 2020, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimates that the economic burden on the low-income country is approximately $1.1 billion, or 23.6% of GDP. estimated that. Uganda currently hosts the largest number of internally displaced persons and refugees in Africa, with approximately 1.7 million people seeking refuge within the country.
Second, when people are forced to flee their homes, whether within the country or elsewhere, they tend to do so for long periods of time, often decades. Research shows that the average internally displaced person has been displaced for more than 10 years, and the average refugee has been displaced for more than 20 years. This also suggests that many parts of the world may be at risk of losing an entire generation of their population, as 40% of displaced persons are children, according to UN data. Displaced children rarely have adequate access to critical services such as proper nutrition, health (including mental health), and education. They grow up isolated from the world around them and are unprepared to become productive adults.
Many of us have argued that this is Africa's moment. But with forced migration reaching many parts of the continent, is this moment the moment when Africa can achieve all it wants and all we want? Africa's vital mineral treasures are receiving global attention, but what about the disappearing treasures of human talent and potential? It's time to talk about it.
This blog was researched and drafted with assistance from Chelsea Acheampong.
