CAR: Deepening humanitarian crisis as refugees flee Sudan conflict

On a visit to the Central African Republic (CAR), UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya warned of a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, as conflict, climate shocks, and dwindling aid converge to put millions at risk.

Families in CAR continue to face immense hardship. Many have been uprooted by years of insecurity, while new waves of refugees are arriving from Sudan, where fighting has forced thousands to flee. Critical aid operations are also shrinking as funding shortfalls intensify.

“Yesterday I spent a few hours with the Sudanese refugees in Birao, a community of 16,000 Central Africans hosting 27,000 Sudanese refugees. Fifty-six percent of them are women and children. And I have seen pain. Yesterday was a different level of pain, women whose limbs have been cut, and yet they traveled with their injuries to CAR, because it’s safer here,” said Msuya.

As of 23 March 2025, a total of 42,084 people have fled Sudan into CAR, including 35,724 registered refugees. Many are relying on humanitarian aid for survival.

“It’s the war that got us here,” said a Sudanese refugee. “We thank NGOs and the Government for the support, but the fact that we don’t farm puts us in trouble.”

Despite improvements in security in some areas of CAR, millions remain displaced, food insecure, and in urgent need of protection and essential services. In regions where violence persists and communities face the impact of climate change, humanitarian needs remain acute.