Record-high 117m people displaced worldwide in 2023, UNHCR says

TOKYO -- The United Nations refugee agency estimates there were a record 117.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2023, up 8% from the previous year. In Asia, escalating conflict in Myanmar and further displacement from Afghanistan contributed to the increase.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released the new figures on Thursday. Its report said the number of forcibly displaced people, which includes both refugees and internally displaced people, is likely to have exceeded 120 million by the end of this April.