Central Sahel forced displacement nearly doubles since 2020

The number of forcibly displaced people in the central Sahel has nearly doubled since 2020, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This surge affects Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where security incidents have also nearly doubled during the same period.

The increase in displacement coincides with a period of significant political shifts, including military coups in Mali (2020 and 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023). While the leaders of these nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States to restore security and combat jihadist groups, the UNHCR reports that violence from both armed groups and national militaries continues to drive civilians from their homes.

In the central Sahel, the population of displaced persons is now the second largest on the continent, surpassed only by Sudan. The crisis is placing immense pressure on urban peripheries, camps, and neighboring coastal countries such as Benin and Côte d'Ivoire, where hundreds of thousands of people have sought refuge.