Spatial Transformations of Informal Settlements in Omdurman in the Context of Internal Displacement, 2023–2025: A Human Geography Study Using Geographic Information Systems and a Mixed-Methods Approach

Abstract

This study examines the spatial transformations of informal housing in Omdurman during the period 2023–2025, in the context of internal displacement resulting from the armed conflict that erupted in Sudan on 15 April 2023. The study is based on the premise that informal housing is not merely a form of urban expansion beyond planned development boundaries; rather, it reflects the interaction of displacement with land policies, inadequate services, unequal access to employment and housing opportunities, and households’ capacity to rebuild their lives within the city. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach combining spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing with social analysis through questionnaires and interviews, alongside a review of displacement and shelter reports. The findings indicate that spatial transformations did not follow a single pattern but occurred in three overlapping phases: evacuation and declining occupancy, followed by the repurposing of buildings and land, and then partial return and new expansion. National-level shelter data also showed that hosting by families and local communities constitutes the most widespread accommodation arrangement, placing indirect pressure on host neighborhoods—a phenomenon not always reflected in camp maps. The study recommends adopting a gradual upgrading approach for informal settlements wherever security conditions permit, rather than blanket clearance that may trigger secondary displacement. It also recommends improving roads and access routes to water supplies, health centers, and markets in densely populated neighborhoods.