By MondAfrique: On October 10, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sounded the alarm: around 4 million people are currently displaced in the Sahel, an unprecedented figure.
The UNHCR statement highlights the scale of the humanitarian crisis, mainly in the three Central Sahel countries—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—where 4 million people are considered displaced. This number is steadily increasing: five years ago, it was only 2 million. Other figures published by the organization are equally alarming: women and children make up 80% of those forced to flee in the region; more than 14,800 schools had closed by mid-2025, depriving 3 million children of access to education and safe spaces; 900 health centers have also been shut down.
The main causes of these displacements are multiple: insecurity linked to armed jihadist groups, the absence of state authority over large parts of the territory, which limits access to basic services, and insufficient means of subsistence.
Humanitarian needs are constantly rising, while resources are shrinking. The UNHCR reports that it has raised only 32% of the funds needed to cover its essential activities.
Yet, amid this avalanche of bad news, the UN agency brings a note of optimism by highlighting the strong solidarity among communities: 90% of displaced people feel integrated into their host communities, and local populations generously share their land and resources, demonstrating real mutual aid at the heart of the crisis.
