Chad Appeals for Urgent International Aid as Sudanese Refugee Population Exceeds 2 Million

Chad Faces Overwhelming Refugee Crisis

Chad has made an urgent plea for international assistance, highlighting the immense strain placed on its resources by the influx of refugees from neighboring Sudan. During an address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, September 26, 2025, Chad's Prime Minister Allah Maye Halina stated that his country is currently hosting over 2 million refugees from Sudan. Of this staggering number, 1.5 million have arrived since the conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Chad, which shares a 1,300 km border with Sudan, cannot resolve the crisis through military means but rather through peaceful dialogue. This recent surge adds to an existing population of approximately 400,000 Sudanese refugees who had sought asylum in Chad prior to April 2023, fleeing earlier waves of conflict in Darfur.

Escalating Humanitarian Needs and Strain on Resources

The continuous arrival of refugees has created a deepening humanitarian crisis in Chad, a country already grappling with significant development challenges. The eastern provinces, including Ouaddaï, Wadi Fira, and Sila, are particularly affected, with their populations increasing dramatically and local resources stretched to their limits. Humanitarian organizations report critical shortages across various sectors:

• Food Security: The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of growing risks of hunger and malnutrition among Sudanese refugees. In some camps, between five and ten children die of malnutrition each week.
• Water and Sanitation: Camps lack sufficient clean water and safe sanitation services, with refugees often receiving far below the international standard of water provision.
• Shelter and Healthcare: Only 14 percent of shelter needs have been met, and basic healthcare services are severely disrupted.
• Public Health: Chad has been battling a rapidly escalating cholera outbreak since mid-July 2025, affecting both refugee settlements and host communities.

Many new arrivals have endured severe human rights violations during their escape, including 'physical and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and forced recruitment,' with 72% reporting such experiences. Furthermore, nine out of ten of those displaced are women and children, making them particularly vulnerable.

Underfunded Response Amidst Chad's Generosity

Despite being one of the world's lowest-income countries, Chad has demonstrated 'extraordinary compassion and resilience' by keeping its borders open and welcoming refugees. However, the financial burden is immense. The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Chad identifies 7 million people in need of assistance and calls for $1.5 billion in funding. As of June 2025, UNHCR and partners were urgently seeking $553.7 million to address the life-saving needs of refugees. The current funding levels are insufficient, jeopardizing the delivery of essential aid.

International Community Calls for Ceasefire in Sudan

The humanitarian crisis in Chad is a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). International efforts to de-escalate the conflict and secure a ceasefire have intensified:

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for an immediate ceasefire in and around El Fasher in August 2025, deploring 'relentless attacks' by the RSF.
• A joint statement on September 12, 2025, by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates called for a humanitarian truce and a permanent ceasefire.
• The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), alongside foreign ministers from over 20 countries, urged Sudan's warring parties to resume direct negotiations for a permanent ceasefire in September 2025. This coalition also condemned the military involvement of foreign actors in the conflict.

Chad's Prime Minister reiterated his country's strictly neutral stance in the conflict and offered to contribute to any initiative aimed at ending the war through peaceful means.