The 10 most urgent humanitarian crises facing the world in 2025

The world's worst humanitarian crises in 2025 reflect a troubling trend of escalating conflicts, economic instability, and climate-induced disasters.

• The world's worst humanitarian crises in 2025 reflect escalating conflicts, economic instability, and climate-induced disasters
• 34.8 million people faced critical humanitarian needs due to overlooked emergencies in 2024 alone
• Sudan remains the most severe humanitarian crisis in 2025, with 30.4 million people in need of aid

These humanitarian crises are driven by four major global imbalances: increasing conflicts, escalating attacks on civilians, worsening climate change effects, and growing economic inequality.

Together, these factors have resulted in an alarming concentration of humanitarian needs.

Addressing these crises requires urgent humanitarian aid, policy reforms, and a commitment to protecting civilians, ensuring economic stability, and mitigating the effects of climate change.

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Despite the severity of these crises, many remain underreported, leaving millions without global attention or urgent aid.

According to ReliefWeb, 34.8 million people faced critical humanitarian needs due to overlooked emergencies in 2024 alone.

Africa remains the epicenter of these crises, with conflicts, hunger, and climate-related disasters devastating countries.

Also, major conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to drive mass displacement and suffering.

The world’s worst humanitarian crises in 2025

Based on data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview, here are ten of the worst humanitarian crises in 2025, with five occurring in Africa.

Sudan

Sudan remains the most severe humanitarian crisis in 2025, with 30.4 million people—over 63% of the population—in need of aid.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has devastated the country, displacing 5 million people and worsening food insecurity.

Syria

Syria remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises in 2025, with 16.7 million people in need of aid and 17.6 million displaced Syrians requiring assistance.

More than 90% of the population lives in poverty, and much of the country's infrastructure remains in ruins.

Gaza

In 2025, 3.3 million Palestinians—over 63% of the population—require humanitarian aid, with Gaza bearing the brunt of the crisis.

After more than a year of violence, 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced.

Ukraine

As the war in Ukraine nears its third year in 2025, 12.7 million people require humanitarian aid, with 2.2 million displaced abroad.

Worsening conditions, including electricity and fuel shortages, add to the ongoing hardship.

Congo

Escalating violence over land, natural resources, and ethnic disputes has worsened the Democratic Republic of the Congo's decades-long crisis.

In 2025, 21.2 million people will need humanitarian aid, with 2.1 million displaced.

Afghanistan

After more than four decades of conflict, Afghanistan remains in crisis, with 22.9 million people in need of humanitarian aid and 7.3 million displaced abroad.

Political instability and ongoing hardship have led the UN to allocate $3.04 billion for humanitarian assistance in 2025.

Yemen

After years of civil war, 80% of Yemen’s population requires aid, with 19.5 million people in urgent need.

The conflict has devastated food systems, infrastructure, and the economy, worsening living conditions.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia faces multiple humanitarian emergencies in 2025, driven by conflict in Amhara, climate change, disease outbreaks, and economic hardship. At least 10 million people need aid, with the UN allocating $2 billion for relief efforts.

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South Sudan

Humanitarian needs in South Sudan have worsened due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, adding to existing crises of insecurity, violence, displacement, hunger, and flooding.

In 2025, 9.3 million people within the country and 4.3 million displaced South Sudanese require assistance.

Chad

Chad faces a worsening crisis as 7.8 million people require aid in 2025.

The country hosts nearly 2 million refugees from Sudan, straining resources, especially in the Lake Chad Basin. Conflict, hunger, and climate change have compounded the crisis.

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