Libya

Since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, Libya has seen a significant influx of Sudanese refugees, primarily entering through key points such as Alkufra, Tobruk, and the southern border. Alkufra, in southeastern Libya – a region with harsh, arid conditions and few public services available – was the main entry point for Sudanese refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Considering that the border crossing is officially closed, Sudanese refugees were compelled to enter informally, often utilizing smuggler services. Due to increased security tension at the Libya/Sudan border, arrivals shifted through Chad, where the border with Libya is also closed, forcing Sudanese to enter informally. Once in eastern Libya, to access assistance, Sudanese refugees must be medically cleared and registered with the authorities in Alkufra, from where refugees often try to reach coastal cities like Benghazi and Tripoli, but face challenges in doing so, including limited and expensive transport options. The difficult conditions make movement from the border extremely challenging for many refugees, while host communities in Alkufra feel the strain of overstretched services. 

Sudanese refugees registered with eastern authorities in Alkufra receive a security registration card, recognized in the South and East, that allows them freedom of movement and access to public services. Since the halt of registration by the authorities at the beginning of August, health certificates continue to be issued by the Libyan Red Crescent enabling freedom of movement in Alkufra and access to services. UNHCR is only allowed to register refugees in Tripoli with no government registration in place in the West. As of 1 November 2025, there are 86,849 Sudanese refugees registered with UNHCR in Libya. Sudanese refugees continue to flee a dire situation: 31% of Sudanese refugees have prior residence in Khartoum and 18% are from Darfur. Approximately 42% of Sudanese refugees are women and girls and 41% are children. They face critical needs for healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene services, and temporary accommodation, overwhelming the already limited resources in Libya. Moreover, school-aged children need access to education, many of whom have already missed two years of schooling. 
 
UNHCR's strategic priority is to provide life-saving assistance to refugees and support the response by Libyan authorities to enhance the protection environment, with a focus on access to public services such as health and education. Access to registration and legal documentation remains a challenge, leaving many at risk of raids and detention. UNHCR’s priority interventions focus on life saving assistance, outreach, and protection services, while seeking durable solutions for the most vulnerable groups and supporting the host communities. Reduced funding has left many refugees destitute, compelling them to make desperate decisions, including taking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. Sudanese are now the top nationality disembarking from Libya. In 2025, 13% of the 26,000 refugees and migrants who were rescued or intercepted at sea and returned to Libya and where they are held in detention, were Sudanese. Of the over 56,000 who have arrived in Italy and 31,000 who have arrived in Greece, 10,000 are Sudanese. 

While Libya is considered a middle-income country, it is heavily dependent on oil and gas revenues and an estimated 803,000 people, including displaced Libyans, asylum-seekers, refugees, and migrants, are in need of humanitarian assistance. Despite the government's efforts, the influx of refugees from Sudan has stretched public services to the breaking point. 

There is a clear need for greater collaboration with development partners to support the self-reliance of Sudanese refugees arriving in Libya, particularly by providing regulated employment opportunities and minimizing the impact of the large number of Sudanese refugees on host communities and as a consequence the overstretched public services, as well as dependency on humanitarian assistance. Increasing focus is put on the significant number of new arrivals, many of them are skilled workers, including doctors, nurses, and teachers, who could contribute to Libya’s workforce, a practice observed at limited scale in Alkufra and elsewhere in Libya. In particular, female-headed households or people with disabilities, require additional support due to their vulnerabilities. Access to freedom of movement within Libya is tied to obtaining a security registration card, and health certificate in Alkufra. Those holding security cards are allowed to move to areas with higher levels of economic activity, however, they are still required to regularize their employment through the employer which requires proof of legal entry and presence in the country, as well as payment of expensive fees. UNHCR certificates are not recognized by the authorities as legal documentation. 

With support from the Joint Data Centre on Forced Displacement, the World Bank, UNHCR, IOM and WFP have collaborated to undertake a socioeconomic longitudinal survey of refugees and migrants in Libya from 2022-2024. The main objective of the activity was to establish a solid base of socioeconomic data on migrants and refugees. The survey gathered data across 18 months (2022 to 2024) and focused on both populations' economic conditions, access to essential services, and coping mechanisms in response to challenges in Libya. The report and key findings are expected to be released in early 2026. 

Among Sudanese refugees registered with UNHCR in Libya, a significant number have secondary (46%) or university (24%) levels of education. This is particularly true for those arriving since the war started, where the university-level arrivals rose from 10% pre-crisis to 20% post-crisis.  This is consistent with household surveys of newly registered refugees showing rates of university level education around 22.7%. Comparing 2023 and 2024, the percentages remained relatively stable for the education categories of those fleeing to Libya. 

Trends show a slight increase in those with professional backgrounds, consistent with the education levels noted above. Among Sudanese refugees, the percentage of professionals rose from 8% at the beginning of the crisis to 11%, suggesting that more professionals fled due to adverse conditions associated with the war as it continues. After the emergency declaration in Libya in August 2024, to increase access to registration and protection, the UNHCR Libya Operation rolled out emergency registration processes, including capturing a limited dataset, which does not record occupation. Thus, an analysis of the occupation profile is not available.  

Long-running fragility in Libya has resulted in gaps in infrastructure and public services, and deep institutional deficits. Despite these challenges, the State of Libya has been welcoming of refugees. More recently, however, in response to the adverse public opinion fueled by social media, the State of Libya started adopting restrictive policies curtailing access to public services, including health and education, and compounded by raids and discrimination. Libyans are feeling the strain of large numbers of refugees. Consequently, investments by development partners would bolster the resilience of the host communities and refugees by supporting the public services under strain. These investments are needed in Alkufra, as well as in cities and towns across Libya hosting refugees. 

Access to registration remains key to protection and solutions. Therefore, support for registration efforts by UNHCR and authorities is a strategic objective. 

Further resources are necessary to support the education sector and accommodate the influx of students, as well as the health sector. Arrivals are suffering from malnutrition and injuries, with no access to basic sanitation, latrines, or clean water, raising the risk of cholera and other diseases in Alkufra in the East, and in Sebha in the South. Waste management systems are also needed. 

Last updated: January 2026