Southern Asia recorded the largest net migration loss in Asia, while Western Asia remained the region’s strongest migration destination, according to migration data compiled from the UN Population Division and international migration studies .

A visual analysis published by Seasia Stats and World Visualized showed Southern Asia posting a net migration balance of -2.2 million people over a five-year average period, far exceeding outflows recorded in Eastern, South-Eastern and Central Asia .

Western Asia stood out as the only Asian subregion with positive net migration, recording a net gain of approximately 434,000 people.

Net migration measures the difference between immigrants entering a region and emigrants leaving it.

Migration experts say Western Asia’s positive migration trend is largely driven by Gulf economies, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, which rely heavily on foreign labour across construction, healthcare, domestic work and technology sectors.

The World Bank and the International Organisation for Migration have repeatedly identified the Gulf region as one of the world’s largest migrant worker destinations due to higher wages and strong labour demand.

Large migrant populations from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines continue moving to the Gulf in search of economic opportunities.

Southern Asia’s large negative migration balance reflects longstanding outward migration patterns from countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Economic opportunity, overseas employment, education and family reunification remain among the biggest drivers of migration from the region, according to UNESCO and UN migration reports.

India alone has one of the world’s largest overseas diasporas, with millions of citizens living and working abroad.

Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia also recorded net migration losses, though at much smaller levels compared to Southern Asia.

Ageing populations, slowing economic growth and changing labour markets are believed to be reshaping migration trends in countries including China, Japan and South Korea.

Meanwhile, Southeast Asian nations continue experiencing both outbound labour migration and growing urban migration within the region.

The International Organisation for Migration estimates there were more than 281 million international migrants worldwide in recent years, with Asia remaining central to global migration flows.

Political disagreements sparked a major armed conflict in 2013. It ended with the signing of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), but the deal has proved volatile, with rival camps accusing each other of violating the agreement.

The result of escalating conflict has been the worsening of South Sudan’s humanitarian situation characterised by the growing rates of malnutrition and food insecurity, especially among the most vulnerable.

“This crisis is hitting women and children the hardest,” observes Adham Effendi, World Food Programme’s South Sudan Country Director. “And we can see that in the extremely high levels of malnutrition. These children are the future of the country, but without urgent support, this future is at stake.” He attributes the slowed response to conflict and access denials.

Aid cuts have worsened the crisis, leaving many internally displaced people in South Sudan without access to essential services.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) project that food insecurity has worsened in South Sudan.

Their joint statement estimates 7.8 million people will face high acute food insecurity between April and July 2026.  That’s over 56% of the population, at the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3.

The statement further shows that about 700,000 children will “face severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form. Similarly, 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished, placing both mothers and infants at heightened risk.”

These figures reflect the scale of devastation in IDP camps, particularly in states like Jonglei, where nearly 300,000 displaced people live in abject poverty and scramble daily for the very limited supply of basic services in a shrinking, overstretched economy.

South Sudan must pursue a long-term cure to its chronic food insecurity; this way, it will build enough capacity to contain future crises. This remedy majorly lies in sustained, strategic investment toward climate change mitigation and sustainable agricultural practices.

In order to realise this, the country must review its fiscal priorities. Despite efforts to boost agricultural production in the East African country, the sector’s share in the national priority basket is still critically low.

Agriculture receives just 130.9 billion SSP ($1 billion) in the 2025/2026 national budget, while much bigger portions are reserved for security spending, public sector salaries and servicing the growing public debt, yet corruption concerns persist.

Equally important, the country ought to take decisive steps to address the underlying causes of its humanitarian crisis, especially political instability, resource mismanagement and conflict. The state must consciously build stronger institutions and invest in its people, focusing on inclusive and sustainable growth. 

The article solely represents the views of Simpson Muhwezi, a Ugandan freelance writer and development practitioner.