Government officials, law enforcement agencies, humanitarian organisations and civil society stakeholders on Wednesday commenced a three-day Foundational Training Course on Missing Migrants.
The training at Sun Set Beach Hotel seeks to strengthen national capacities to prevent migrant deaths and disappearances, enhance search and identification mechanisms, improve case management, and promote coordinated support for families of missing migrants.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad (MoFA), organised the training under the project "Capacity Building of Missing Migrants National Focal Points in Rabat Process Partner Countries (Mauritania and The Gambia)", funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
During the three days, participants will engage on good practices, policy frameworks and collaborative approaches to addressing missing migrant cases in The Gambia and beyond.
Sibgha Ajaz, IOM The Gambia's Officer-in-Charge, said The Gambia has increasingly positioned itself as a regional leader on missing migrants through its engagement in the Rabat Process, establishment of the National Task Force on Missing Migrants and efforts to strengthen migration governance.
She said the issue goes beyond statistics and policies, as every missing migrant leaves behind families searching for answers.
According to IOM's Missing Migrants Project, at least 250 Gambians have gone missing along migration routes since 2014, although the actual figure is likely higher.
Ajaz said the training would strengthen participants' knowledge on preventing migrant deaths and disappearances, identification, case management, family assistance and cooperation.
For her part, Ndumbeh Saho, Director of Migration and Diaspora at MoFA, said missing migrants represent a critical humanitarian and diplomatic issue, particularly for The Gambia where migration has significant social and economic dimensions.
She said addressing missing and deceased migrants requires protecting human dignity, supporting families and strengthening national coordination.
Director Saho stressed the importance of Gambian diplomatic missions along migration routes and called for stronger cooperation among government institutions, civil society and international partners.
She urged participants to use the three-day training to improve coordination, information sharing, identification, family tracing and support, while respecting human rights, confidentiality and dignity.
