Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Mozambique are the three most neglected displacement crises in the world, according to a new report from the non-governmental organization (NGO) Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The international humanitarian aid agency says that while shifting domestic priorities, economic uncertainty, and political fatigue have led to severe cuts in support, decision-makers must recognize that displacement is a shared responsibility that cannot be ignored.
Source: Ingebjørg Kårstad/NRC
Since 2017, the NRC has published a list each year of the ten most neglected displacement crises in the world. The purpose is to focus on people whose suffering rarely makes international headlines and who receive no or inadequate assistance and rarely become the center of attention for international diplomatic efforts.
NRC bases its annual list on three criteria: lack of humanitarian funding, lack of media attention, and lack of effective political engagement to end conflict and improve conditions for displaced people.
The 2024 list is derived from an analysis of 34 displacement crises. Cameroon has repeatedly ranked high on the annual list — second in 2023 — and continues to grapple with three distinct, protracted crises that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
NRC stated that Cameroon is a case study in global neglect, experiencing little diplomacy, funding, or media coverage. The displacement crisis in Cameroon is rarely mentioned by media outlets worldwide, leaving the realities of displaced and conflict-affected people invisible to many.
NRC's full list for 2024 is the following: (1) Cameroon, (2) Ethiopia, (3) Mozambique, (4) Burkina Faso, (5) Mali, (6) Uganda, (7) Iran, (8) the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), (9) Honduras, and (10) Somalia.
The humanitarian organization revised the report’s methodology this year to include nations hosting refugees that are experiencing severe crises of their own. Consequently, Iran, which is home to over 6 million refugees, and Uganda, which hosts 1.75 million refugees, both appear in the report for the first time. These crises have long been underfunded and overlooked, receiving little political or media attention.
Cameroon tops the list, Ethiopia ranks second (its highest placement ever), and Mozambique ranks third and appears on the list for the first time. Burkina Faso, which topped the list for the previous two years, ranks fourth. DRC ranks eighth after appearing in the top three since the inception of the report.
NRC warns that these shifts do not reflect meaningful improvements, but rather highlight a harsh reality: nearly all protracted humanitarian crises are being neglected.
“International solidarity is being overtaken by increasingly introverted and nationalistic policies in previously generous donor nations. This is deepening the neglect of people affected by crisis and displacement at a time when a record number of people have been forced from their homes,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC.
“Across Europe, the United States and elsewhere we have seen donors turn their backs on people in their hour of need.”
Though global funding has been declining since 2022 despite rising needs, this year's levels are expected to plummet to record lows. Global humanitarian funding fell sharply in 2025, largely due to extreme cuts in US funding. However, other major donors, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, have also curtailed their support.
In 2024, the shortfall between what was required to meet humanitarian needs and what was delivered was a staggering US$25 billion, meaning over half of all needs went unmet. While this figure is large, it was only about 1 percent of what the world spent on defense that same year.
As of March 2025, $24.2 billion in humanitarian funding was received globally in 2024, compared to a total of $49.5 billion in requirements. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), total military spending in 2024 was $2.46 trillion—equal to $6.74 billion per day. With the global humanitarian funding gap at $25.29 billion, this equates to 3.7 days or 1.03% of global military spending in 2024.
“It is critical that we do not accept donors’ abandonment of aid as a foregone conclusion. Displacement isn’t a distant crisis: it’s a shared responsibility. We must stand up and demand a reversal of brutal aid cuts which are costing more lives by the day,” Egeland said
“Adequate funding is essential. But funding alone cannot halt the suffering. Without effective conflict resolution, disaster prevention and diplomatic engagement, these protracted crises will go on and on. More people will be displaced, and more lives will be shattered.”
The NRC Secretary General said that the world cannot plead ignorance when it comes to overlooking the crises featured in the report.
“Each year we warn that things will get worse, and each year that warning becomes a reality. This year I fear that more than ever,” he said.
“With aid budgets being slashed, it is down to each and every one of us to stand up and tell global, regional and national politicians to change course, that we will not stand by and let those forced to flee be left behind. What we do this year will be remembered.”
The Norwegian Refugee Council is an independent humanitarian organization that assists people who have been forced to flee their homes. Its headquarters are located in Oslo, Norway. The NGO protects and supports displaced people. Founded in 1946, the organization began its relief efforts after World War II, and it is currently one of the largest NGOs worldwide supporting refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Providing urgent humanitarian assistance during the emergency phase of a conflict or natural disaster is NRC's focus. Currently, the Norwegian Refugee Council works in 40 countries experiencing new and protracted crises. In 2024, the organization assisted over 9 million people worldwide.
Further information
Full text: The world's most neglected displacement crises in 2024, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), report, published June 3, 2025
https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2024