Refugees
UNHCR: Syria returnees Lightblows in refugee statistics
The global number of refugees has been rising with ever new crises and conflicts, but this year there is a bright spot.
Violent conflicts and civil wars continue to fled worldwide, but the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) can report a positive trend for the first time in years. More displaced persons returned to their homeland in 2024 than in previous years, as the world refugee report says.
Among the returnees were 1.6 million people who had fled abroad. This was the highest number in this category in more than two decades, according to the UNHCR. The other returnees had been driven out in their own country. In this category it was the second highest number since the start of the records.
Which country has the most returnees
The positive development continued in the first months of this year. Syrians in particular started their journey home after the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus in December 2024, as UNHCR boss Filippo Grandi announced. In total, almost two million Syrians have already returned to the former civil war country.
The total number of refugees worldwide at the end of April has hardly increased in the annual comparison. There were 122 million people, almost as many as a year earlier (120 million). The numbers include both displaced persons in their own country and those that have fled to other countries. Around 60 percent are inland -displaced. According to UNHCR, around two-thirds live in neighboring countries of their homeland.
In relation to the whole year 2024, however, the number of displaced people rose by 7 million to 123.2 million compared to the previous year.
Which country has most displaced persons
As early as 2024, Syrians were no longer the largest group of displaced people, but people from Sudan. A total of 14.3 million people had to flee between the government and rebels because of the power struggle. Syrier were the second largest group with 13.5 million, followed by Afghans (10.3 million) and Ukrainians (8.8 million).
“The search for peace must be the focus of all efforts to find long -term permanent solutions for refugees and other people who are forced to flee from their homeland,” said Grandi.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
