YOUR EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR NASIR AMINU, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA TO THE AFRICAN UNION AND STAND-IN CHAIRPERSON OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE AFRICAN UNION FOR JUNE 2026,

YOUR EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR CHURCHILL EWUMBUE-MONONO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE PRC SUB-COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES, RETURNEES, IDPS AND MIGRATION,

YOUR EXCELLENCIES PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES AND DISTINQUISHED MEMBERS OF THE PSC,

YOUR EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR BANKOLE ADEOYE, COMMISSIONER FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS, PEACE AND SECURITY,

INVITED GUESTS,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I wish to thank the Peace and Security Council for convening this timely session and for inviting the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development to brief the Council on refugees, internally displaced persons and humanitarian assistance in Africa.

This briefing is delivered at a moment when humanitarian needs and forced displacement are increasing in scale, complexity and duration, with direct implications for peace, security, social cohesion and stability across our continent. It seeks to support the Council’s consideration of practical, forward-looking and Africa-led responses anchored in the relevant African Union instruments, values and commitments.

I. INTRODUCTION AND KEY HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES

Excellencies,

As we mark the World Refugee Day this month, the humanitarian and displacement situation across Africa remains deeply concerning. Conflict, insecurity, climate shocks, food insecurity and economic fragility continue to converge, pushing millions of people into displacement and placing sustained pressure on national systems, host communities and regional stability.

By the end of 2025, more than forty-five million (45 million) people were forcibly displaced across the continent. This includes approximately thirty-two million (32 million) internally displaced persons, ten to twelve million (10 to 12 million) refugees, two to three million (2 to 3 million) returnees and about one million (1 million) stateless persons.

Behind each of these figures Excellencies, is a human story: a family uprooted, a child out of school, a mother without access to basic services and a community carrying the burden of crisis with courage and resilience.

The situations in the Republic of the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain among the most urgent humanitarian crises on the continent. In Sudan, more than fourteen million (14 million) people have been displaced, including approximately four point one million (4.1 million) who have fled to neighbouring countries. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, renewed conflict has displaced millions and severely disrupted access to essential services, including health care, education, protection, shelter, food and water.

At the same time, protracted and often under-reported crises in South Sudan, the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel continue to generate enormous humanitarian needs. South Sudan remains one of Africa’s largest displacement situations, with two point three million (2.3 million) refugees hosted in neighbouring States and approximately two million (2 million) internally displaced persons. The Sahel hosts more than five point seven million (5.7 million) forcibly displaced persons, while refugee and asylum-seeker numbers are projected to increase further this year. In the Lake Chad Basin, the continued impact of Boko Haram and ISWAP-related violence has devastated communities for more than 15 years.

This renewed surge in humanitarian needs comes at a time of sharply declining humanitarian financing. In 2025, of the estimated Eleven Billion United States Dollars (USD 11 billion) required for humanitarian response plans in Africa, less than 27 per cent was funded. This has left millions of people without adequate food, shelter, protection, health care, education and other life-saving assistance.

This Session, convened in the month of World Refugee Day, provides an important opportunity to reaffirm the enduring relevance of the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa and the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, commonly known as the Kampala Convention. These instruments remain central to Africa’s collective response to forced displacement, anchored in protection, solidarity, responsibility-sharing and durable solutions. It is also a moment to highlight African leadership in advancing durable solutions, resettlement, local integration and voluntary return, while embedding health, education and resilience into humanitarian responses.

At this point, I will like to expatiate on our Union’s response in 2025 as well as planned activities for 2026.

II. AFRICAN UNION’S RESPONSE

The Commission continues to advance a set of strategic priorities aimed at strengthening Africa-led humanitarian action, reinforcing coordination, supporting Member States and advancing durable solutions.

1. AU Champion on Humanitarian Response and Protection of Vulnerable Populations: The African Union has appointed H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, as the African Union Champion on Humanitarian Response and Protection of Vulnerable Populations. With technical support from the Commission, the Champion will contribute to shaping the future of Africa’s humanitarian architecture, strengthening continental advocacy and mobilising greater political attention to the protection of vulnerable populations.
2. Humanitarian Assessment Missions: The Commission conducted humanitarian assessment missions to Burundi, Mozambique, South Sudan and The Sudan in 2025. In 2026, the Commission plans to conduct humanitarian assessment missions to Algeria, Chad, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, The Sudan, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
3. Solidarity Support to Member States: In 2025, The PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees, IDPs and Migration provided One point Two Million United States Dollars (USD 1.2 million) as solidarity support. It has further approved a total Eleven point Five Million United States Dollars (USD 11.5 million) in solidarity support to Member States most affected by humanitarian crises. These include Algeria, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, DRC, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, The Sudan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
4. Direct Humanitarian Assistance: In 2025, the Commission provided emergency food and non-food items amounting to One Hundred and Five Thousand United States Dollars (USD 105,000) and allocated One Hundred and Fifteen Thousand United States Dollars (USD 115,000) to provide core relief items in Member States where humanitarian assessment missions will be conducted. While modest in scale, this support reflects the AU’s commitment to practical solidarity and direct engagement with affected populations and host communities.
5. Operationalisation of the African Humanitarian Agency: Progress towards the operationalisation of the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) remains a central priority, The Agency is expected to strengthen Africa-led coordination, enhance response capacity, promote more predictable and sustainable humanitarian action and reinforce the humanitarian-peace-development nexus. The Commission is working to establish the governance structures and is in the process of recruiting its initial staff, including the Executive Secretary and advance the Host Agreement process with the Republic of Uganda. We are putting place strategic mechanisms, systems and tools that will support AfHA to implement its mandate once fully operationalised.
6. Advocacy, Coordination and Partnerships: The Commission has unveiled the African Union Humanitarian Coordination Platform with RECs and AU Organs. In addition, the Humanitarian Coordination Forum (HCF) continues to serve as a strategic space to highlight humanitarian needs, exchange timely information, align priorities, coordinate response efforts, advocate for resource mobilisation and strengthen collaboration among humanitarian partners. The Commission is also enhancing its communication efforts to enable sustainable advocacy and visibility of the commitments and implementation of AU-led mediation and support to our distressed African citizens.

III. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

In light of the foregoing, I wish to submit the following recommendations to the kind consideration of Council’s;

1. EXPRESS DEEP CONCERN over continued humanitarian needs and displacement across Africa, COMMEND Member States and host communities for their solidarity in receiving and protecting refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and returnees, and URGE continued support to affected populations;
2. WELCOME the appointment of H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, as the African Union Champion on Humanitarian Response and Protection of Vulnerable Populations, and ENCOURAGE close collaboration between the Champion, the Commission, Member States and relevant partners in addressing humanitarian challenges on the continent;
3. TAKE NOTE that World Refugee Day, commemorated annually on 20th June, has its roots in African Refugee Day, formerly observed by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and CALL FOR renewed continental solidarity with all persons forced to flee their homes;
4. CALL FOR stronger advocacy and collective action to ensure full respect for international humanitarian law (IHL), including the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and humanitarian assets, and to guarantee safe, rapid, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations;
5. DRAW ATTENTION to urgent, forgotten and protracted humanitarian caseloads across Africa, and CALL UPON the international community to renew its commitment to burden-sharing and sustained support for affected Member States and host communities;
6. EXPRESS CONCERN over the severe decline in humanitarian financing, and ADVOCATE for increased contributions from Member States, RECs, African philanthropy, the private sector and international partners. FURTHER CALL for predictable, flexible and sustainable financing to address humanitarian needs in Africa;
7. EMPHASISE the need to advance durable solutions, including by addressing the root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises through full implementation of AU flagship initiatives, including the Silencing the Guns, strengthening the mechanisms for effective humanitarian response, sustaining long-term rehabilitation interventions and reinforcing the operational linkages between peace, humanitarian and development efforts;
8. ENCOURAGE the full implementation of relevant AU instruments, including the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention and the Kampala Convention, and CALL FOR stronger national implementation frameworks, data systems and coordination mechanisms to protect and assist refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and stateless persons; and
9. REMAIN ACTIVELY SEIZED of the matter and CONTINUE TO provide political guidance in support of a coherent, coordinated and Africa-led humanitarian response.

IV. CONCLUSION

The current trajectory of humanitarian needs and displacement in Africa requires urgent, sustained and collective action. Without strengthened political engagement, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, predictable financing and a deeper focus on durable solutions, protracted crises will continue to expand and undermine peace, security and development across the continent.

The Council’s leadership is, therefore, critical. Africa’s humanitarian response must be more than a reaction to crisis. It must be a continental expression of solidarity, a protection commitment to vulnerable populations, and a strategic investment in peace, resilience and human dignity.

As we commemorate World Refugee Day this month, let us reaffirm that refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees and stateless persons are not merely beneficiaries of assistance. They are rights-holders, members of our communities and contributors to Africa’s shared future.

I thank you.