Internal Displacement in Africa
An overview of trends and developments (2009-2023)
© Ingebjørg Kårstad/NRC
Fifteen years ago, Africa was at the forefront of progress towards comprehensive responses to internal displacement. Yet as of the end of 2023, the continent was hosting 35 million internally displaced people (IDPs). Many countries have developed legal and policy frameworks and made meaningful investments in addressing internal displacement over the last 15 years, but the numbers show that there is still much more to do.
Africa hosts nearly half of the world’s IDPs
The 35 million people living in internal displacement in Africa at the end of 2023 accounted for nearly half of the global total and three times more IDPs on the continent than in 2009.
Government efforts to address internal displacement in Africa have been commendable, but with rising conflict and a changing climate making communities more vulnerable, governments have struggled to keep ahead of the issue.
Conflict displacement is on the rise and highly concentrated
The number of people living in internal displacement as a result of conflict and violence in Africa has more than tripled in the last 15 years, from 10.2 million in 2009 to 32.5 million in 2023. Nearly 80 percent of these IDPs are in just five countries: Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Floods and droughts are driving increasing displacement
The number of internal displacements triggered by disasters has risen nearly sixfold across the continent in the last 15 years, from 1.1 million in 2009 to 6.3 million in 2023. Floods triggered more than three-quarters of Africa’s disaster displacements, and even with notable data gaps, droughts account for another 11 percent.
Addressing underlying drivers is essential to reverse these trends
The African Union adopted the Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, known as the Kampala Convention, in 2009. It was the first – and is still the only – legally binding regional instrument that addresses all causes and phases of displacement. The Convention underscores the fact that countries hold the primary responsibility for protecting and assisting their IDPs, and many states are gradually integrating its obligations into domestic legal and policy frameworks.
However, most of these policies emphasise responses to displacement more than measures to prevent it. Some countries are addressing the root causes of displacement through investments in areas including disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and peacebuilding, and these can serve as examples for others. Unless governments and their partners redouble their efforts, the number of people being forced from their homes is likely to continue to increase.
Towards better displacement data
The internal displacement data landscape in Africa has evolved significantly over the last 15 years, and more information on its scale, duration and impacts has become available. There are still many gaps and challenges, however, including inconsistent methodologies, overlaps and insufficient coordination among agencies in charge of data collection. These gaps and challenges hamper the production of harmonised and interoperable datasets and compromise the design and implementation of measures to prevent, respond to and resolve displacement in countries that have some of the largest numbers of IDPs in Africa and the world.
Improving data collection methods, ensuring coordination and collaboration and strengthening the monitoring capacities of national and local governments are required to build a more solid baseline on the scale, scope, duration and severity of displacement in Africa.
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’s important for them to keep ownership of this issue and the international community to support their efforts.
- Alexandra Bilak, Director, IDMC
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Internal displacement in Africa triples in 15 years since landmark treaty to address it
- Africa hosts 35 million internally displaced people (IDPs), nearly half of the global total
- 32.5 million of these IDPs were displaced by conflict and violence, and 80% are concentrated in only five countries
- Disaster displacement has increased nearly sixfold, mostly due to floods and droughts
Geneva – Government efforts to address internal displacement in Africa have been commendable, but not enough, according to a new report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), published today. The number of people living in internal displacement on the continent has tripled, to 35 million, since the adoption of a landmark treaty to address the phenomenon 15 years ago. Read more...
Le déplacement interne en Afrique a triplé depuis l'adoption il y a 15 ans d'un traité visant à y rémedier
- L'Afrique abrite 35 millions de personnes déplacées à l'intérieur de leur propre pays, soit près de la moitié du total mondial.
- 32,5 millions de celles-ci ont été déplacées par les conflits et la violence, et 80 % d'entre elles sont concentrées dans cinq pays seulement.
- Les déplacements liés aux catastrophes ont presque été multipliés par six, principalement en raison des inondations et des sécheresses.
For interviews or additional information, please contact:
Mark Gnadt, Head of Communications, IDMC
Email: media@idmc.ch and mark.gnadt@idmc.ch
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