Sudanese refugee arrivals surge into eastern Chad as UN warns of funding shortfall

More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad this year, with arrivals into the country's eastern border areas rising sharply in recent days, according to the UN refugee agency. The agency said about 400 people a day are now entering via Adre and Tine, around 20 times the rate seen in previous months. It said the increase is adding pressure to an already strained humanitarian response in eastern Chad.

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UNHCR said the surge has accelerated over the past week and is outpacing available support. The agency said the Tine transit centre is under severe pressure and is currently hosting more than 4,300 people. It added that many of those arriving need shelter, water, sanitation and protection services, while about 31,000 families lack adequate shelter.

Most refugees are also living on less than half of the minimum amount of water needed each day. The latest arrivals are part of the wider displacement caused by Sudan's civil war, which began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces turned into open conflict. The war has driven more than 11 million people from their homes, making it the world's largest displacement and humanitarian crisis.

UN figures cited in the report say about 6.4 million people remain internally displaced in Sudan, while more than 3.5 million Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers have fled to neighbouring countries. The situation matters because eastern Chad has become one of the main destinations for people escaping the conflict in Sudan, and the pace of arrivals is now testing the capacity of transit centres and aid operations. Chad already hosts large numbers of Sudanese refugees, and the latest increase raises concerns about shelter, water access and protection in border areas.

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The UN has warned that the crisis will deteriorate further unless funding rises significantly. UNHCR said it has so far received only 20% of the $1.6bn needed for its response, leaving a funding gap of $1.28bn. The agency said the shortfall is limiting its ability to support refugees and host communities in Chad and elsewhere in the region.

It also warned that if conditions worsen, more people may attempt the dangerous journey onward, including towards Europe. What remains unclear is how quickly additional funding will arrive and whether the pace of crossings into Adre and Tine will continue to rise. The immediate focus is on shelter, water and protection at the transit centre in Tine, where pressure is already severe.

Aid agencies will be watching whether the current surge eases or becomes the new normal along Chad's eastern border.

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