Massive new displacements caused by conflict, violence and human rights abuses are likely to continue to affect many African countries in 2015. The projected numbers of people of concern in Africa are expected to decrease slightly in 2015 (from 15.1 million in 2014 to 14.9 million), due to repatriation, resettlement and other durable solutions. However, the scale of displacements caused by ongoing conflict inside the Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan and Nigeria is likely to remain extensive in the year ahead.
One year after the start of the waves of conflict in the CAR, more than 850,000 people - nearly one-fifth of the country's population of 4.5 million -remain displaced both inside and outside the country, including more than 400,000 refugees. The security situation remains volatile. In South Sudan, fighting since December 2013 have internally displaced 1.4 million people, while over 475,000 South Sudanese had sought refuge in neighbouring countries. In Nigeria, the terror campaign by insurgents has increased significantly in recent months. It is forecast that more than 1.6 million people will be displaced by end-2015, including some 180,000 into neighbouring countries.
In Central America, violence caused by transnational, organized, criminal armed groups pose a major challenge to local populations, national institutions and regional security. In recent years, asylum applications from individuals from countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have sharply increased in Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States. Of particular concern is the movement of unaccompanied and separated children displaced by violence. Their protection and safety is of central importance to UNHCR’s operations in countries of origin, transit and arrival.
In 2015, participating States in the Cartagena+30 process and those that will adopt the Declaration and new Plan of Action in Brasilia in December 2014, will commit to a wide range of goals aspiring to better protection and solutions. The 10-year Plan of Action will inform and drive UNHCR’s strategy and interventions in the region. Accompanying States in the follow-up and implementation of the new Plan of Action will be UNHCR’s priority in 2015 and beyond.
The Asia and the Pacific region is home to 7.7 million people of concern to UNHCR, including 3.5 million refugees, 1.9 million internally displaced people (IDPs), and 1.4 million stateless people. The majority of the refugees originate from Afghanistan - one of the largest refugee populations in the world - and Myanmar. More than two thirds of refugees in Asia live outside camps, mainly in urban environments where they often find inadequate protection, leading to onward irregular movement by sea.
Up to 96 per cent of the 2.6 million registered Afghan refugees are living in the neighbouring Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan, which have generously hosted them for over three decades. In Myanmar, people have been fleeing from ethnic conflict and violence for several decades to seek protection. Currently, an estimated 500,000 Myanmar refugees are in neighbouring countries, including Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh.
The number of people seeking refugee status in Europe continues to climb, driven by the wars in Syria and Iraq, as well as conflict and instability in Afghanistan, Eritrea and elsewhere. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, Turkey has received more than 1.8 million asylum-seekers and refugees from Syria, and has also witnessed an increase in asylum-seekers from Iraq and other countries. Large-scale displacements in and from Ukraine have also called for urgent responses to growing humanitarian needs.
The Middle East and North Africa region continues to face multiple and complex emergency situations on an unprecedented scale, which are likely to pose further overwhelming challenges in 2015.
The humanitarian situation in Syria remains extremely challenging. In the fourth year of the conflict, there are close to 4 million Syrian refugees in the region. Inside Syria, an estimated 10.8 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including some 6.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs). In Iraq, the deteriorating security situation and heavy fighting has forced some 2.2 million people to flee to other parts of the country.
This region is also one of origin, destination and transit of refugees and migrants. Many of those caught up in mixed migratory movements are victims of smuggling and trafficking as they face perilous journeys, notably by sea.
