The number of refugees worldwide declined by about three per cent in 2025, bringing the total to 41.6 million, according to a new report by the United Nations Refugee Agency.
The United Nations also revealed that about 5.4 million people fled violence and persecution to other countries during the year, even as global displacement levels remain high.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric disclosed the figures at a news briefing in New York on Thursday, noting that the Global Trends Report showed the first drop in forced displacement in a decade.
“The report showed that returns are also gathering pace; 14.7 million displaced people returned to their areas or countries of origin in 2025, with a sharp increase in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria,” Dujarric said.
He added that while refugee returns reached one of the highest levels recorded in six decades, many returnees were going back under difficult conditions.
“Refugee returns were the second highest since records began 60 years ago, though many occurred under pressure and to precarious conditions at home,” he stated.
The report also indicated that around 70 per cent of refugees remain in prolonged exile, with many living below the poverty line and struggling to rebuild their lives.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, called for stronger international action to reduce long-term displacement and improve support systems for refugees.
He outlined a goal to significantly cut the number of people trapped in prolonged displacement over the next decade.
“We cannot accept a future in which millions of refugees remain trapped for years or decades without realistic prospects of rebuilding their lives,” Grandi said.
The report further highlighted a sharp decline in resettlement opportunities, noting that arrivals through resettlement or sponsorship programmes dropped by more than half in 2025, to just 81,800 cases.
It identified Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela as the major countries of origin for refugees, while Colombia, Germany and Türkiye remained among the top host nations.
“Asylum and protection are lifesaving and not up for debate,” Grandi added, urging global solidarity in addressing forced displacement.
