The Number of 'Internally Displaced Persons' Worldwide Reaches 71 Million

The number of internally displaced persons in various countries last year exceeded 71 million due to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and climate disasters including seasonal floods in Pakistan. According to Reuters, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre based in Geneva stated that this figure represents a 20% increase from 2021, with an unprecedented number of those fleeing in search of safety and shelter. The Centre noted that nearly three-quarters of the world's displaced people live in 10 countries, including Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, and Sudan, which experienced significant displacement due to war and conflict in 2022. The report indicated that the war in Ukraine alone caused the displacement of nearly 17 million people last year. It stated: 'Conflict and violence have led to internal displacement of 28.3 million people worldwide. This figure is three times higher than the annual average over the past decade.' The majority of last year's displacements - 32.6 million - were due to natural disasters including floods, droughts, and landslides. Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, which established the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in 1998, said: 'Conflicts and [natural] disasters combined last year exacerbated the vulnerabilities and inequalities that people were already facing and caused displacement on an unprecedented scale.' He added: 'The war in Ukraine also fueled the global food security crisis, which hit internally displaced persons the hardest. This (the Ukraine war) was a major crisis that damaged years of progress in reducing global hunger and malnutrition.' The UN Migration Agency reported that the number of displaced persons in Sudan has reached 700,000 amid ongoing conflict; mediators are seeking to establish a ceasefire. Parties involved in the Sudan war have entered Saudi Arabia for talks. The UN Refugee Agency urged to keep Sudan's borders open. Ukraine: Safety at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is at risk. France has opened a case for 'war crimes investigation against Russia.' The UN Secretary-General stated that Sudan is facing a humanitarian disaster. The UN has called on the Taliban to stop punishments such as flogging, stoning, and execution.