This is a first in ten years: the number of people displaced around the world, due to persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations, fell in 2025. However, this cannot be explained by a less explosive situation on a global scale, but by greater constraints weighing on these people who would like to flee.
A look back at five lessons from the “Global trends 2025” report from the High Commission for Refugees published this Thursday, June 11.
An unprecedented drop in the number of displaced people
The world had 117.8 million forcibly displaced people at the end of 2025, a drop of around 5.4 million in one year, the first in a decade. How can we explain this decrease when conflicts are increasing across the globe?
This drop in the number of displaced people does not reflect an overall improvement in the global situation, but mainly “a sharp increase in refugee returns”, explains the UN agency. Not necessarily good news, since these returns are taking place “under various forms of pressure, to countries where insecurity persists, where infrastructure has been damaged and where access to basic services as well as economic opportunities remains very limited”, underlines the High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih.
Around 2.9 million Afghans returned to their country in 2025, notably from Iran (1.9 million) and Pakistan. But these returns are most often made in a “constrained” or “pressurized” manner. However, these massive and rapid movements are difficult for the Afghan state to absorb, warns the UNHCR.
A majority of internally displaced people in countries
Another observation is that among these 117.8 million displaced people, around 58% are in their own country. In particular, we observe very large numbers of internally displaced persons “in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Syria,” notes the report. This highlights that the displacement crisis is primarily an internal state crisis, often linked to protracted conflicts and the collapse of public services.
In recent months, the UNHCR has focused on the situation in Lebanon, indicating that the country had 1 million internally displaced people. The UN agency regularly points out the destruction of civilian infrastructure (hospitals, schools, housing) and the severe humanitarian deterioration in the regions affected by the conflict, particularly the south of the country.
Crises concentrated in a few countries
Massive population flight is concentrated in a few countries in conflict. Thus, eight countries alone represent nearly 60% of cross-border displaced people. These are Sudan (952,700 displaced), Ukraine (788,100), Venezuela (455,300), South Sudan (232,800), Burkina Faso (221,300), Afghanistan (191,400), Mali (177,200) and Burma (165,400).
There are fewer global crises, but they are more intense and geographically localized, notes the UNHCR. Sudan has become the world’s leading crisis in terms of displacement, with a total of 11 to 12 million displaced people.
An asylum system under strain around the world
The report highlights a sharp increase in the number of pending asylum applications, with nearly 9 million unprocessed cases. New requests thus exceed the decisions rendered. This creates a backlog in national asylum systems, which are under strain throughout the world.
This is not just an increase in the flow of asylum applications, but a lasting imbalance. UNHCR emphasizes the need to ensure fair, rapid and accessible procedures. “People fleeing conflict, persecution and violence must have effective routes to seek refuge,” demanded Barham Salih.
The report mentions in particular pressures in European systems (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) and mentions the United States, the leading “resettlement” country also experiencing difficulties, but does not classify the countries according to the number of pending files. The UNHCR speaks of global pressure on asylum systems, notably due to the simultaneity of crises, not the fault of States. The UN agency, however, indirectly emphasizes that when large countries reduce admissions, the overall system becomes more saturated.
Insufficient solutions given the scale of needs
While available places have decreased in 2025 in some host countries, the number of refugees requiring resettlement is estimated at 2.9 million. This concerns people who have already obtained status in one country, but who cannot stay permanently and would need to be sent to another, safer place.
However, the resettlement places offered by countries are very limited. In 2025, 82,000 refugees were resettled or admitted through resettlement programs, a declining number. These resettlements numbered 100,000 in 2024 and had reached their highest level in at least forty years.
The current situation reveals a growing gap between needs and durable solutions (resettlement, humanitarian visas, safe voluntary returns). UNHCR calls for strengthening these mechanisms to offer more stable alternatives to vulnerable refugees.
