The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a report on Tuesday, highlighting the worsening humanitarian situation for Sudanese refugees in Libya, with an estimated influx of over 210,000 individuals fleeing the conflict in neighboring Sudan.
Since the outbreak of hostilities in Sudan in April 2023, Libya, already grappling with its own internal crises and strained reception capacities, has become a significant destination for displaced Sudanese.
According to the UNHCR report, as of the latest count, 39,099 Sudanese refugees were already registered in Libya prior to the escalation of the Sudanese conflict. This number, combined with the new arrivals, brings the total number of Sudanese refugees officially registered by UNHCR in Tripoli to 58,649. The situation is particularly acute in the Kufra region of eastern Libya, where local authorities report issuing 125,000 health certificates for an estimated 173,000 individuals who have crossed the border. The daily flow of new arrivals in this region is estimated to be between 400 and 500 people.
However, the UNHCR emphasizes that accurately assessing the total number of Sudanese refugees in Libya remains challenging due to the irregular nature of migration movements, the absence of centralized data collection, and the complexity of the borders Libya shares with Chad, Egypt, and Sudan.
The UN refugee agency warns of a growing crisis in urgent humanitarian needs, encompassing critical areas such as health services, access to safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, food security, adequate shelter, and financial assistance for the vulnerable refugee population.
Many of the newly arrived refugees are in dire need of immediate medical attention, while the increasing strain on Libya’s existing water infrastructure is exacerbating health risks. Despite the efforts of local authorities to maintain access to essential health services and education for the refugees, UNHCR is urgently appealing to the international community to significantly bolster its support, particularly for the coastal municipalities that are witnessing a growing concentration of refugee arrivals. The report underscores the urgent need for increased international assistance to address the escalating humanitarian crisis facing Sudanese refugees in Libya.
SL/te/Sf/fss/abj/APA