Crises will worsen in these countries in 2024 for these reasons – Details
Climate change, escalating armed conflicts, increasing debt burdens, and shrinking international support; these factors will contribute to the worsening of humanitarian crises worldwide in 2024, as announced by the International Rescue Committee in its report today.
In the Emergency Watchlist for 2024, the committee based in New York pointed out that 20 countries primarily in Africa are at the greatest risk of deteriorating humanitarian situations next year, according to Reuters. The report comes after the number of people in need of humanitarian aid this year rose to 300 million, and the number of those forced to flee their homes increased to 110 million.
David Miliband, the president of the International Rescue Committee, said in a statement, “This is the worst of times,” calling for more focus on climate adaptation, empowering women, banking services that prioritize “people first,” supporting refugees, and taking action to stop impunity.
Sudan topped the committee’s Emergency Watchlist, followed by the occupied Palestinian territories and South Sudan. Following them are 9 sub-Saharan African countries, Myanmar and Afghanistan in Asia, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen in the Middle East, Ukraine in Europe, Ecuador in South America, and Haiti in the Caribbean.
The International Rescue Committee noted that these 20 regions represent about 10% of the world’s population but account for 86% of global humanitarian needs and 70% of displaced persons, with an increasing share of those facing extreme poverty and climate risks.
The committee added that Sudan, not listed last year, topped the list as widespread wars in cities receive “minimal international attention,” while the Palestinian Gaza Strip enters the 2024 list as the most dangerous place for civilians in the world.
The International Rescue Committee explained that while some African countries have rapidly improved living standards, conflicts, coups, and poverty are increasing at “alarming rates,” and the phenomenon of El Niño poses a threat of extreme weather.
It further noted that Ecuador, home to many Venezuelan refugees, joined the list for the first time with rising rates of violence, largely attributed by the state to drug trafficking, exacerbating the economic effects of the pandemic and climate risks.
At the same time, the committee pointed out that nearly half of Haiti’s population needs humanitarian aid and said it is “unlikely” that the United Nations efforts to help the police fight powerful armed gangs will significantly improve conditions next year.
