NEW YORK, December 14. /TASS/. The non-governmental humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) has published its annual Emergency Watchlist of 20 countries at greatest risk of new humanitarian emergencies in 2024.

"While only accounting for about 10% of the world’s population, Watchlist countries [the 20 countries listed in the report] account for 86% of all people in humanitarian need globally and approximately 70% of displaced people," the IRC report said.

Sudan tops the list. There, an estimated 24.8 million people will need humanitarian assistance by 2024 due to war, and 5.1 million will be displaced. In Palestine, which ranks second, at least 3 million displaced people may need assistance. The country is also facing the collapse of its health system.

South Sudan, which continues to suffer from the effects of armed conflict and climate change, was ranked third. The country is also at risk of flooding next year due to the El Nino, the IRC said. Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Mali, Somalia, Niger, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo were also in the top ten.

The IRC added that a number of countries are experiencing the overlapping effects of conflict and climate change, leading to a worsening humanitarian situation. According to the IRC, there are a total of 16 such states, but experts consider 14 of them to be the most vulnerable, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Ukraine and the Central African Republic.

The International Rescue Committee was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein. The IRC is based in New York City. The organization works in more than 40 countries and has helped millions of people since its founding.