The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Gambia, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), yesterday commenced a five-day Regional Consultation on Missing Migrants at the Governor’s Conference Hall in Brikama, West Coast Region. The consultation, which runs from 8–12 June 2026, forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national and community-level responses to cases of missing migrants in The Gambia.
The consultation brought together representatives from government institutions, traditional leaders, local government authorities, civil society organizations, community stakeholders, families of missing migrants, and development partners to discuss the challenges associated with missing migrant cases and identify practical approaches to strengthening response mechanisms.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director of Migration and Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Ndumbeh Saho, underscored the humanitarian dimension of the issue and reaffirmed the Government of The Gambia’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare and interests of Gambian citizens abroad.
She expressed appreciation to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for their continued partnership and support in addressing the complex issue of missing migrants.
Mrs. Saho emphasized that behind every statistic is a human story — a son, daughter, parent, sibling, or friend whose disappearance leaves families and communities facing uncertainty, anguish, and unanswered questions. She noted that the emotional, social, and economic consequences of these disappearances are profound and often long-lasting.
She further highlighted that the consultation marks the first regional-level engagement on missing migrants in The Gambia and reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring that policies and interventions are informed by local realities, community perspectives, and the lived experiences of families directly affected by migration-related disappearances.
The consultation seeks to identify and map key stakeholders at the regional and community levels, assess existing reporting and information-sharing mechanisms, examine the socio-economic and psychosocial impacts of missing migrant cases on affected families and communities, and evaluate institutional capacities and coordination mechanisms. It also aims to generate practical and evidence-based recommendations to strengthen national systems, enhance community engagement, and improve regional and international cooperation on missing migrant issues.
As part of the initiative, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced a Missing Migrant Case Registration Form to facilitate the systematic documentation of missing migrant cases across the country. The Ministry calls on families, relatives, friends, and community members with information on missing migrants to report and register such cases through their respective Regional Governor’s Offices or directly with the Ministry. This effort is intended to strengthen data collection, improve coordination among relevant institutions, and support efforts to trace and account for missing migrants.
Mrs. Saho further emphasized that addressing the challenge of missing migrants requires a whole-of-society approach involving government institutions, civil society organizations, communities, diaspora groups, development partners, and affected families.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Governor of the West Coast Region, Deputy Governor Musa Amul Nyassi welcomed the initiative and commended…
