News 04 November 2025 IOM Launches New Initiative to Enhance West Africa’s Response to Missing Migrants

Dakar, 4 November 2025 - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched a landmark initiative with the governments of The Gambia and Mauritania to strengthen national capacities to respond to migrant deaths and disappearances along routes connecting Africa and Europe.

The initiative - the first of its kind in West Africa - will leverage IOM's decades-long expertise in missing migrants data and migration management to strengthen national coordination on missing migrants in both countries. The project aims to achieve a whole-of-government response to the complex challenges that arise once migrants have died or gone missing.

"By empowering national and local governments and strengthening cross-border cooperation, we are not only saving lives but also restoring hope and dignity to families who have waited too long for answers," said Sylvia Ekra, IOM Regional Director for West and Central Africa. "The Gambia and Mauritania's leadership on this issue sets a new benchmark for how coordinated national action can address this complex issue effectively."

Over the past decade, IOM has recorded more than 30,000 missing migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, 5,000 along the Western African-Atlantic route to Spain, and nearly 6,000 in the Sahara Desert crossing. Recent tragedies, such as the August 2025 shipwreck off Nouakchott, Mauritania, which claimed at least 134 lives, underscore the need for action.

"Addressing the issue of missing migrants remains a key priority for the Government of The Gambia," said Honorable Sering Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad (MoFA). "Our aim is to prevent the tragic loss of lives and the disappearance of migrants, while ensuring that families receive the answers and closure they deserve. This project comes at a particularly opportune time, as we have recently launched our National Task Force on Missing Migrants and are strengthening coordination efforts with neighbouring countries to respond more effectively to this shared challenge."

Through this initiative, The Gambia and Mauritania will establish coordinated government systems to investigate cases of missing migrants, recover identities of the deceased, and provide families with the answers they deserve. Bespoke capacity-building workshops and mentoring will strengthen institutional capacity and cross-border cooperation, thereby equipping the countries to locate the missing, identify remains, and ultimately prevent these tragedies from being forgotten.

"The Western African Atlantic maritime route continues to cause human tragedies", said Fatma Mohamed Salem, Director of Borders, Refugee Migration, and Land Affairs, at the Ministry of Interior, and the Promotion of Decentralization and Local Development of Mauritania. "Through this project, our hope is to make visible the lives lost, support families in their search for answers, and strengthen prevention efforts."

Addressing migrant deaths and disappearances remains a key humanitarian priority. Strengthening national systems to manage migration safely and effectively helps reduce risks and ensures that migration is governed in a humane and dignified manner. Building institutional tools, partnerships, and technical capacity enables governments to meet their obligations, enhance protection mechanisms, and promote stability for families and communities across the region.

IOM will implement the project in coordination with initiatives carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in areas such as forensic identification, family tracing, and psychosocial assistance.

This initiative is part of IOM's efforts to move beyond data on missing migrants and deliver concrete action, ensuring that families receive answers and support, while helping Member States respond to this urgent challenge.

The project is made possible through the financial support of Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

For more information, please visit IOM's Media Centre.