Sudanese Refugee Arrivals Surge in Eastern Chad Amid UN Funding Shortfall

More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into neighbouring Chad this year as a sharp increase in arrivals places additional pressure on humanitarian services in the country’s east, according to the United Nations.

UNHCR said approximately 400 people are now entering eastern Chad each day through the border areas of Adre and Tine. That is about 20 times the daily arrival rate recorded in previous months.

The agency said the increase has “accelerated sharply” and that the number of new arrivals is outpacing the support available to them.

Transit centre under pressure

The Tine transit centre is facing severe pressure and is currently hosting more than 4,300 people, the United Nations said. Many of those there urgently require shelter, water, sanitation and protection services.

Across the refugee response, about 31,000 families lack adequate shelter. Most refugees are also living with less than half of the minimum amount of water needed each day, according to the United Nations.

The conditions reflect the wider consequences of Sudan’s civil war, which began in April 2023 after a power struggle between Sudanese Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo became violent.

UN appeals for more funding

The United Nations said it has received only 20 percent of the $1.6bn required for its response efforts. That leaves a reported funding shortfall of $1.28bn.

The organisation has called for a significant increase in international funding, warning that conditions will deteriorate further without additional support.

More than 11 million people have been displaced by the conflict, including approximately 6.4 million people displaced within Sudan and more than 3.5 million Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers who have fled to nearby countries.

The United Nations has also reported that more than 14,100 Sudanese refugees arrived in Europe last year, representing a 245 percent increase compared with 2024. The figures underscore the continuing regional and international impact of the war, although the UN’s immediate appeal is focused on meeting urgent needs in countries receiving refugees, including Chad.