Once again, Burkina Faso is the world’s most neglected crisis

For the second year in a row, Burkina Faso is the world’s most neglected displacement crisis, according to a new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The annual list of neglected displacement crises is based on three criteria: lack of humanitarian funding, lack of media attention, and lack of international political and diplomatic initiatives compared to the number of people in need. Far from the spotlight of international media coverage, the crisis in Burkina Faso has further worsened since last year. Neglect has deepened across all three areas, most notably in the ongoing reduction of humanitarian funding. The lack of international support and attention is further compounded by insufficient media freedom.

Following Burkina Faso, Cameroon is listed second and has been featured on the list every year since 2018. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Niger follow, meaning that for the first time, all three countries in the central Sahel are among the five most neglected crises.

“The utter neglect of displaced people has become the new normal,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the NRC. “The local political and military elites disregard the suffering they cause, and the world is neither shocked nor compelled to act by stories of desperation and record-breaking statistics. We need a global reboot of solidarity and a focus on where needs are greatest.”

Read the full report here!

Cover image © Ousmane Drabo / NRC