Sudanese refugees living in various cities across Libya have voiced strong aspirations for an end to the war in their homeland and a safe return home in 2026, according to interviews conducted by Radio Dabanga.
Since the outbreak of civil conflict in Sudan in April 2023, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese civilians have fled violence, seeking refuge in neighboring countries including Libya. UN estimates project that by 2030, Libya could host over 700,000 refugees and asylum seekers — of whom a large majority will be Sudanese — due to ongoing instability in Sudan.
Voices from the Camps
Refugees who escaped the brutality of civil war described conditions of hardship and displacement in Libyan cities. Many expressed that their foremost wish for the coming year is an end to the fighting in Sudan and the restoration of safety and normal life.
One asylum seeker from El Fasher, now living in Benghazi, said his hope for 2026 is that peace prevails across Sudan, allowing families to return home without fear. He emphasized that displacement abroad has stripped refugees of dignity and basic livelihoods, compounding the trauma of war.
Another refugee, a member of the Darfur community association, highlighted the dire economic challenges in Libya — including high housing and education costs and limited income opportunities — while stressing that peace in Sudan would remove the need for formal return programs.
Children, too, shared simple yet poignant wishes for safety and reunification with their families, reflecting the intergenerational toll of prolonged conflict and displacement.
Diplomatic and Regional Context
Sudan and Libya have recently agreed to work with international agencies on structured plans for the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees — reportedly including coordination around nearly *467,000 people displaced into Libya since the war began.
Despite these frameworks, the pace and scale of return remain tied to the security situation in Sudan. Continued internal fighting has caused the largest displacement crisis in Africa — with millions internally displaced and hundreds of thousands seeking refuge abroad.
