Chad faces aid shortfall for Sudan returnees at Adré border

More than 400,000 Chadians who fled the Sudan civil war are arriving at the Adré border crossing in eastern Chad. United Nations agencies, especially the International Organization for Migration (IOM), warn that funding gaps could halt critical assistance.

IOM Deputy Director SungAh Lee visited the border post and said the international community has not given enough attention to the crisis. She stressed the need for additional food, shelter and livelihood programs, noting that many returnees have skills that remain untapped.

Chadian officials acknowledge the surge in returnees – with an estimated 5,000 more expected in the coming days – but say resources are insufficient to meet basic needs. Refugees and returnees now face food shortages, lack of work, and feelings of abandonment in camps such as Tongori, which houses over 13,000 people. The broader conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has displaced over 12 million people, including nearly one million who have taken refuge in Chad.