Rabat – The International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid organization released a 2026 watchlist of global humanitarian crises on Tuesday, which Sudan once again topped.
The list annually highlights the 20 countries that the IRC considers in a dire humanitarian crisis. This is the third time in a row Sudan has topped the list.
Although these Watchlist countries account only 12% of the global population, they account for 89% of those in humanitarian need and are projected to host more than half of the world’s extreme poor by 2029, according to the IRC.
And while crises grow, global humanitarian aid shrinks by more than 50%.
Sudan’s humanitarian crisis is marked by two years of conflict between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the latter being accused by human rights organizations and governments alike for utilizing mass rape and killings as weapons of war.
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) released data last week which documented at least 1,294 cases of sexual violence across Sudan. Many of the victims are young girls and children.
The IRC, however, sees promising solutions like the delivery of life-saving immunization services in areas that have been notoriously inaccessible.
The organization has set a clear agenda to tackle the crises: reinvigorate democracy, protect civilians, fight impunity, and target those most in need.
The top 10 countries listed are: Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, DRC, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Lebanon. Other countries include (in alphabetical order): Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.
