Middle East and North Africa Region Appeal

The Middle East and North Africa region is grappling with a convergence of crises that disproportionately affect children, particularly those in vulnerable households. As a result, millions – especially children and female-headed families – are fleeing in search of safety and stability. 

The region currently hosts 15.6 million refugees and 16.2 million displaced people. Ongoing violence in the Sudan, now the world’s largest child displacement crisis, is placing significant pressure on Egypt and Libya to provide humanitarian aid to those crossing their borders. Meanwhile, the conflict in the State of Palestine, and especially in the Gaza Strip, has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with impact spilling into Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the broader region. Regional tensions have exacerbated existing challenges in Iraq, threatening recent development gains. Following the evacuation of 5,238 patients from the Gaza Strip to Egypt, the country is providing critical medical care to the injured and facilitating aid to the Gaza Strip. The number of Sudanese refugees registered in Egypt has increased nearly sevenfold since the conflict in the Sudan began in April 2023, with numbers expected to continue rising. Additionally, more than 180,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Libya since the conflict started. This influx has put additional strain on the already limited resources in both Egypt and Libya. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, which hosts the largest number of refugees globally, economic challenges and sanctions are hindering the country's ability to address urgent humanitarian needs. In Algeria, an estimated 173,600 Sahrawi refugees remain in need of critical humanitarian assistance.

Climate-induced crises are exacerbating humanitarian challenges in the region, with children particularly vulnerable to health risks from adverse climate events and existing health vulnerabilities. In Djibouti, prolonged droughts have left 19 per cent of the population acutely food insecure. In Libya, flash floods in 2024, along with infrastructure damage and displacement caused by Storm Daniel in 2023, highlight the region's vulnerability to climate-related emergencies.

Continued mixed migration within and from North Africa is expected as people flee growing economic hardships, escalating conflicts, food insecurity and climate-related disasters and seek safety and better opportunities elsewhere. 

In 2025, in line with the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF will continue supporting preparedness and addressing immediate humanitarian needs across the Middle East and North Africa. The UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office will continue providing technical guidance, operational support and learning opportunities to UNICEF country offices and partners. 

Building on lessons from recent regional emergencies, UNICEF will enhance preparedness to ensure more children receive life-saving and dignified assistance in the early days of a crisis, reducing loss and suffering. With a thorough risk analysis and understanding of evolving humanitarian situations, UNICEF will develop flexible country-specific and subregional contingency plans that anticipate deteriorating humanitarian situations and allow for the rapid allocation of funding and deployment of technical support and supplies. UNICEF will strengthen the capacity of implementing partners, including local non-governmental organizations, to ensure a timely response, protection of children and access for all affected populations. UNICEF will establish long-term agreements for rapid procurement and pre-positioning of supplies. Additionally, UNICEF will prioritize strengthening the capacity of country offices to lead coordination and information management efforts with inter-agency partners and governments.

UNICEF’s 2025 humanitarian strategy in Libya will focus on addressing the urgent and life-saving needs of the most vulnerable children, including Sudanese refugee children. In Egypt, UNICEF will continue strengthening systems and delivering life-saving services to vulnerable populations. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, UNICEF will continue to support the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Afghanistan Situation 2024–2025, concentrating on essential services for Afghan refugees and host communities. In Iraq, UNICEF will support children and their families impacted by camp closures, as well as returnees from northeast Syria. In Algeria, UNICEF will maintain its efforts to address the humanitarian needs of Sahrawi refugees as part of the Sahrawi Refugee Response Plan 2024–2025. In Djibouti, UNICEF will strengthen efforts to support children and communities affected by worsening climate conditions; and will improve crisis coordination and preparedness.