IOM: ‘4m returnees in Sudan at risk as services collapse’
IOM Deputy Director General for Management and Reform, SungAh Lee, met government ministers responsible for water, health, and education, including H.E. Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Darf and H.E. Ambassador Muawia Osman Khalid, during her visit to Sudan (Photo: IOM)
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that the return of millions of Sudanese is at risk amid fragile conditions across the country.
“These conditions threaten livelihoods and food production at a critical moment for recovery, against a wider backdrop of food insecurity and economic turmoil,” the agency said in a press release published today.
As an estimated four million people return, IOM statement said: “These challenges affect returnees, displaced populations, and host communities alike.”
“Displacement and return are not separate dynamics, but deeply interconnected realities that require coordinated responses across regions,” the organisation added.
During a visit to Sudan, IOM Deputy Director General for Management and Reform, SungAh Lee, met government ministers responsible for water, health, and education.
In a post on X yesterday, Lee said: “Three years since war upended millions of lives and the scale of what people here have endured is humbling.”
“I’m here to listen, to visit communities, and to ask hard questions: how do we deliver better when resources are tight?” she added.
She also highlighted the ongoing crisis in a post on X, writing: “Sudan needs us. 8.9M people still displaced. Shifting front lines. Telecom and power cuts off without warning.”
Reflecting on IOM’s work, she said: “Over 4M people reached since 2023 – often in conditions that would break most of us.”
Following meetings with UN officials, Lee added: “Together, our message is clear: the UN is here to deliver and to stand with the people of Sudan.”
“Reliable data and coordinated responses remain essential to monitor movements, identify needs, and help ensure assistance reaches communities most affected by displacement,” IOM said.
However, a $97.2 million funding gap threatens the response, with more than two million additional people expected to return to Khartoum this year.
“Sustained partnership, coordinated action, and adequate resources are essential to support Sudan at this pivotal moment and to ensure that return movements contribute to long-term recovery and stability,” the IOM statement said.
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