Chad, a Sahelian country in central Africa with a population of around 21.6 million, is facing a complex humanitarian crisis: mass population movements, climate shocks, regional instability…
The country has been hosting refugees for years. These include people from Darfur in the east – particularly since the conflict that has been raging in Sudan since April 2023 – Central African refugees in the south, and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people in the Lake Province in the south-west due to recurring violence in the region. These displacements are exacerbating pressure on already limited resources, particularly due to climate change: severe droughts, violent floods and desertification are accelerating the drying up of Lake Chad and reducing the livelihoods of local communities.
As a result, food insecurity is at a critical level: 4.3 million people were acutely food insecure in 2025, and 1.3 million are suffering from malnutrition, particularly in the south and east of the country. Furthermore, health emergencies, such as cholera epidemics, and inter-communal conflicts in the Lake Chad basin are further exacerbating the vulnerability of the population.
Despite the country’s efforts and support from the international community, humanitarian funding remains insufficient: according to the United Nations, only 16% of the 2026 response plan is funded, thereby limiting the response to vital needs and leaving more than 1 million people without assistance.
- Population: 21.6 million
- HDI: 0.416 (2023)
- GDP: USD 19.52 billion (2024)
