Disappearances of people in Africa are a major challenge and are driven by diverse factors that include armed conflict and insecurity, governance, environmental degradation and climate change as well as economic necessity coupled with increasingly restrictive migratory policies in many countries are driving more people towards ever more dangerous migratory routes.
The international community commemorates, as every year on the same date, the International Day of Missing Persons.
Against this backdrop, a joint AU-ICRC event that seeks to create a platform to enhance awareness of the fate of missing migrants and their families and to promote a coherent and effective African approach to the issue took place on 30 August to commemorate the International Day of Missing Persons. The ceremony was attended by officials of the African Union Commission (AUC), diplomatic representatives of African and non-African States, representatives of international and regional organizations.
The African Union's Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, H.E. Amb Minata Samaté Cessouma on behalf of H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission addressed the opening ceremony by thanking the key partner in the commemoration of this day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its close collaboration with the AU Commission which has made it possible to hold this essential event for all of us, including those who live in anguish and uncertainty about the situation of their missing loved ones. "It is, therefore, a day of reflection and solidarity with the thousands of people who have disappeared and whose families (mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives and children) are desperately awaiting news of their fate," said the Commissioner. She further added that "This problem is more important today in view of the magnitude of the phenomenon due to factors as diverse as they are complex such as the increase in poverty levels due to the high cost of living, cyclical conflicts and prolonged periods, the escalation of terrorism and other cross-border crimes, political instability as well as the lack of socio-economic opportunities and a whole series of human rights violations. All of these factors have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly recurrent climatic shocks, leading to an increase in the number of deaths and disappearances of people across the continent".
The commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development noted that the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) adopted in July 2021, a historic resolution (486) on missing migrants and refugees in Africa and the impact on their families. She further underlined the importance to reflect on the scope of the migratory phenomenon and its impact on the disappearance of people. "Migrants disappear not only on their way to Europe or the Middle East, but also on their way from one African country to another because, it should be remembered, 80% of mobility in Africa is intra-continental. They disappear on perilous routes on land and at sea, in accidents or in the hands of armed groups. Some die, while others are missing without communication with their families", said the Commissioner.
Amb Minata Samaté Cessouma reiterated the call on the Member States of the African Union and the States throughout the world which are either countries of origin, transit and destination for migrants, to demonstrate a duty of protection of migrants and prevention of disappearances of persons in accordance with the principles of human rights and other relevant international obligations. The Commissioner highlighted that through the adoption of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) in 2018, in particular Goal 8 on "Save lives and establish coordinated international efforts on missing migrants". "AU Member States have realized the need to adopt innovative mechanisms to address the issues of missing migrants on the continent as part of the overall migration governance strategy. In addition, several African Union policy frameworks have highlighted the need to integrate missing migrants into national and regional migration governance frameworks. This is in the spirit of the AU Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, adopted in 2021," concluded H.E. Amb Minata Samaté Cessouma.
Mr. Patrick Youssef, ICRC Africa Director addressing the opening ceremony virtually, noted that "The International Day of the Disappeared is a significant day for hundreds of thousands of families around the world, and here in Africa. Tens of thousands of people are missing across the African continent as a result of armed conflict, other situations of violence, natural disasters and in the context of migration. The ICRC alone has registered more than 64,000 missing persons in Africa, of which over 16,000 were reported in 2021". He further added that ICRC through its Central Tracing Agency (CTA) runs comprehensive programmes for separated, missing and deceased migrants and their families in several countries in Africa. The CTA engages in dialogue with States on the preservation of family unity and the prevention of the risk of being separated and going missing, as well as on the need to establish bilateral and transnational cooperation mechanisms to help resolve cases of missing migrants. The ICRC can also support States in the proper management and identification of migrants' human remains.
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In his closing remarks, Mr. Bruce Mokaya Orina, Head of Delegation ICRC Delegation to the African Union reiterated ICRC's commitment to support regional & global actors to improve prevention and response and to continue the collaboration to strengthen this Agenda with the AUC and with the rest of partners to reinforce and improve policy practice, including availing ICRC services to support esteemed member states, in their efforts to address this challenge.
