Global Forced Displacement Fell for First Time in a Decade, but New Refugee Flight Continued and Resettlement Halved

Global forced displacement decreased for the first time in a decade in 2025, according to UNHCR data released Thursday. 6 million, the agency said in its Global Trends Report. 4 million people fled to other countries to escape violence and persecution during the year.

More than 70 per cent of refugees originated from Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela. Returns gathered pace in 2025. 3 million internally displaced people.

Sharp increases in returns were recorded in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria. Refugee returns were the second highest since records began 60 years ago. Nearly 46,000 stateless people acquired citizenship across 24 countries in 2025.

Arrivals through resettlement or sponsorship pathways fell by more than half year-on-year to 81,800. The largest hosting countries were Colombia, Germany and Türkiye. Seventy per cent of refugees are trapped in exile for years, the report stated.

UNHCR's Global Trends Report was launched in Geneva by High Commissioner Barham Salih. He said displacement often starts as a lifeline but lasts a lifetime. Salih called for a paradigm shift that creates a new sense of hope and opportunity for people fleeing war and persecution.

He set a goal to reduce by more than half, over the next decade, the number of refugees in long-term displacement who are reliant on humanitarian assistance.