Forced Displacement 2024 - Host countries, countries of origin and contributions to the UNHCR
Map of the Month 06/2025
Worldwide, 123.3 million people were displaced by the end of 2024, according to the new Global Trends Report 2025 published by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This constitutes an increase of 6% or 7 million people compared to the previous year and almost twice as many as a decade ago, which was mainly driven by escalating conflicts such as in Sudan, Myanmar, gang violence in Haiti, the war in Gaza and with Lebanon or escalating fighting in the DR-Congo, the Sahel region or Ukraine. With 14.3 million displaced people, Sudan is currently the largest displacement crisis in the world. Despite the rising needs, the UNHCR is facing chronic underfunding. By end-May 2025, only 22% of its budget (2,3 bn out of 10,6 bn. USD) has been covered, once again less than in the previous year. Due to the major funding shortfall and the financial uncertainty due to the U.S. foreign aid freeze in particularly, the UNHCR announced to cut global staffing costs by 30%. The UNHCR has been heavily reliant on US funding (traditionally covering around 40% of its budget). According to High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, it is not merely a funding shortfall, but a "crisis of responsibility". The cost of inaction will not least be measured by further instability.
Sarah Ultes
July 1, 2025
Map of the Month
Key votes during the 78th World Health Assembly
Map of the Month 05/2025
The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) took place against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical tensions and challenges—evident, for instance, in the conspicuous absence of the United States and the ongoing dispute over Taiwan’s status within the organisation. Despite unfavourable circumstances, key health policy initiatives with the potential to benefit future generations were adopted or reaffirmed. These include a multilateral pandemic agreement, the next steps in reforming the International Health Regulations (IHR), and—recognizing the signs of the times—a global climate action plan. Further, new health priorities were incorporated into the WHO agenda, signalling that while global cooperation remains arduous, it can, under pressure, yield essential results.
Sarah Ultes, Dr. Anja Maria Rittner
May 31, 2025
Map of the Month
Vote on resolution on negative impact of illicit financial flows during 58th UN Human Rights Council
Map of the Month 05/2025
During the 58th UN Human Rights Council, a resolution on the negative impact of illicit financial flows tabled by Ghana on behalf of the African Group was adopted following a vote. Among other things, the resolution refers to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), according to which an estimated USD 88.6 billion, or around 3.7% of Africa's GDP, leaves the continent each year as illicit capital flight. Accordingly, the resolution requests the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office (OHCHR) to organise various expert meetings and requests to prepare a substantive report on the issue. The states that voted against the text cited, among other things, possible duplication with the efforts of other entities and instruments, a weak operational link to the promotion of human rights or to the root causes of corruption. The topic is also becoming increasingly important in light of shrinking budgets for official development assistance (ODA) and ongoing debates on the future of financing for development like the upcoming 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FdD4) in Sevilla (Spain) at the end of June 2025.
Sarah Ultes
May 12, 2025
Map of the Month
US Executive Order to Rectify Trade Practices (‘Reciprocal Tariffs‘)
Map of the Month 04/2025
As the Trump Administration seeks to rectify goods trade deficits of the US, US President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order ‘Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits’ on April 2nd. The Executive Order is partly based on the ‘International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)’ from 1977. IEEPA authorizes the president of the US to regulate international commerce in light of a national emergency and in response to extraordinary threats to the United States. The signing of the Executive Order had been advertised as “Liberation Day”. During the presentation President Trump presented ‘reciprocal tariffs’ for 185 countries and territories. The Executive Order lists 57 countries and territories which will be submitted to tariffs on imports into the US ranging from 11%-50% in addition to already existing tariffs (“additional ad valorem duty on all imports”). This provision will be valid from April 9th. All other countries and territories have been submitted to a baseline additional tariff of 10% since April 5th. Only a few countries and goods (i.e. steel, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors) are exempted from these import tariffs.
Cedric Amon
April 9, 2025
Map of the Month
Key votes during the 58th UN Human Rights Council
Map of the Month 03/2025
During the 58th UN Human Rights Council, which was held in Geneva from February 24 to April 4, a total of 32 texts were adopted, 20 of them by consensus and 12 after a vote. For the first time since 2011, for example, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria was extended by consensus. Resolutions on Myanmar, Mali, Haiti, North Korea, the role of women in diplomacy, the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment with a particular focus on the oceans, on landmines or the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental working group tasked to draft an international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons were adopted by consensus. However, votes were held on the extension of special rapporteurs and investigative mechanisms for Iran, Belarus, South Sudan, Ukraine, Nicaragua or the Palestinian territories. In light of the immense pressure that the human rights system is currently facing, support was voiced by 71 states who headed the call of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that: "We cannot allow the fundamental global consensus around international norms and institutions, built painstakingly over decades, to crumble before our eyes."
Sarah Ultes
April 7, 2025
Map of the Month
Votes on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2025 in UN General Assembly and UN Security Council
Map of the Month 02/205
Three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly had to vote on two different resolutions instead of a single text on 24 February 2025. The first resolution (L.10) was tabled by Ukraine and European countries and was largely based on a resolution with agreed language dating back to February 2023. Back then it was adopted by a large majority of 141 votes in favour, 7 against and 32 abstentions. The resolution that has now been submitted, however, was only adopted with 93 votes in favour, 18 against and 65 abstentions. For the first time, the USA also voted against the text and even introduced an alternative text (L.11), which omitted mention of Russian aggression. This meant a fundamental shift of position. The US-submitted resolution was also adopted in the General Assembly, but only in an amended form, as three European amendments were adopted. On the other hand, the USA pushed through its original version of the text in the UN Security Council just a few hours later. The European amendments were not taken on board. They were either outvoted or rejected by a Russian veto. The maps provide an insight into the votes on the respective resolutions as well as the European and Russian amendments.
Sarah Ultes
February 25, 2025
Map of the Month
Support for 37th Special Session of UN Human Rights Council on situation in the east of the DRC
Map of the Month 02/2025
At the request of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and with support of 27 Member States as well as 21 Observer States, the UN Human Rights Council convened its 37th Special Session on the human rights situation in the east of the DRC on the 7th of February. The Council adopted a resolution without a vote in which it condemned in the strongest possible terms the human rights violations and abuses being committed in the provinces of North and South Kivu, the unlawful exploitation and looting of natural resources therein as well as the military and logistical support provided by the Rwanda Defence Force to the M23. It decided to urgently establish an international fact-finding mission to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged violations and abuses, collect, consolidate and analyse all evidence, identify persons and entities responsible, make recommendations on accountability and present a first oral update in the 59th Council session in September 2025. It also established an Independent Commission of Inquiry to Continue the work of the Fact-Finding Mission.
Sarah Ultes
February 7, 2025
Map of the Month
Voting behaviour in line with Germany’s and China's positioning in the UN Human Rights Council 2024
Map of the Month 01/2025
The map of the month January illustrates the voting behaviour of the members of the Human Rights Council in line with Germany’s versus China's positioning in the Council in 2024. A total of 91 resolutions were adopted in the UN Human Rights Council last year, 25 of which were put to a vote due to a lack of consensus. In addition to the EU member states, the USA, Montenegro, Japan, Finland and Albania voted most frequently in line with Germany (over 80%); Algeria never did so and Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Eritrea and Sudan only once. Of the Central and South American Council members, Argentina, Paraguay, Costa Rica and Chile voted most frequently in line with Germany (just over 55%); of the African states, Malawi, Ghana and Gambia (just over 35%). By contrast, Eritrea, Cuba and Burundi voted in line with China most frequently, while Albania, Argentina, Bulgaria and the USA never voted with China, and Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Romania hardly ever (4%). China and Germany only voted together once: they supported a text on the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, which the USA rejected.
Sarah Ultes
January 29, 2025
Map of the Month
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About this series
The "Map of the Month", a new series of the Multilateral Dialogue Geneva of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, uses maps to illustrate global trends and the role of Germany and Europe in the world on a monthly basis.
