Cases of missing persons in Africa rise 75 per cent in five years

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Over 71,000 people across Africa are registered as missing with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a 75 per cent rise from the number recorded in 2019.

Africa is the continent with the highest missing persons caseload, the highest number of unaccompanied children, and the highest number of family reunifications, based on ICRC-registered cases as from the end of June.

“The issue of missing persons, including those forcibly disappeared, remains one of the most damaging and long-lasting humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and other situations of violence, for all loved ones, whether a waiting wife or a heartbroken son,” said Patrick Youssef, ICRC’s regional director for Africa.

Behind every missing person, there are countless more suffering from the anguish and uncertainty. It’s a humanitarian tragedy for families, one that has consequences across all of society.” 

Protracted armed conflicts in Africa have resulted in the disappearance of thousands of people. The continent is also prone to natural disasters, some of which are exacerbated by climate change, while perilous migratory journeys put vulnerable people at risk of separation and disappearance.

The International Day of the Disappeared, observed on 30 August, helps raise awareness of the plight of the missing, honors their memories and the emotional distress of families, and helps focus attention on the need to help prevent and respond to the issue of missing persons.

The ICRC is calling for a more determined international effort to prevent and respond to the issue of missing persons, whatever the circumstances. Political will is an essential step to obtain the necessary resources to respond to this issue, including the cooperation between authorities, both at the national level and across borders.

In armed conflict, both civilians and combatants go missing,” said Youssef. “They can go missing when they are arrested or captured, detained, and are held incommunicado. They might be alive, but simply do not have the means to contact their relatives.”

Under international humanitarian law, state authorities have the primary responsibility to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons. However, these authorities may lack resources, knowledge, or political will to do so. The ICRC and the National Societies can play a crucial role.

In the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, volunteers from the DRC Red Cross have been working at telephone call centers set up by the ICRC to offer a fast, free service to the many displaced people who have lost contact with their families. In Sudan, the ICRC, in partnership with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, provides a hotline to help families and unaccompanied children separated by conflict to restore contact.