Nearly 2 Million South Sudanese Remain Refugees Across Neighbouring Countries – UNHCR
Credit: UNHCR/Reath Riek Thot, Creator: Reath Riek Thot
Nearly two million South Sudanese remain displaced as refugees and asylum seekers across neighbouring countries, highlighting the continued humanitarian impact of conflict and instability, according to the latest UNHCR Regional Bureau for Eastern and Southern Africa (RBESA) population dashboard.
The data, covering the situation as of 30 June 2026, shows that 1.99 million South Sudanese are living as refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries. Uganda hosts the largest refugee population with 1,056,564 South Sudanese, followed by Sudan with 664,511, Ethiopia with 483,769, Kenya with 208,978, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 90,327.
Inside South Sudan, the humanitarian situation also remains severe. The country hosts approximately 654,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority of whom—about 615,053 people or 96 percent—are refugees from Sudan. Smaller refugee populations originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Central African Republic, Burundi, Uganda, Somalia, Rwanda, and Chad.
The dashboard further indicates that South Sudan has 1 million conflict-induced internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 945,000 people displaced by natural disasters, underscoring the multiple crises affecting communities across the country.
In addition, 81,000 South Sudanese have returned home in 2026, reflecting ongoing efforts to support voluntary returns despite persistent humanitarian and security challenges.
UNHCR compiled the figures using data from governments, the agency itself, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), providing an overview of the population of concern across South Sudan and the wider East and Horn of Africa region.
