International Missing Persons Day: 1,537 people have been missing in Senegal since 2008

Originally scheduled for August 30, the International Day of Missing Persons will be celebrated this year on Monday, August 31, at the headquarters of the National Committee of the Senegalese Red Cross in Dakar.

“This day is dedicated to the memory of missing persons and to solidarity with their families. It is a moment for reflection, testimony, and advocacy, reminding us that the disappearance of a loved one remains a human tragedy with profound and lasting consequences. Whether linked to armed conflicts, other situations of violence, natural disasters, or risky and dangerous migration journeys, disappearances leave thousands of affected families in a long and painful wait, often without news of the fate of their loved ones,” the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Dakar and the Senegalese Red Cross (CRS), in partnership with the National Federation of Associations of Families of Missing Persons, stated in a joint press release.

"227,378 new missing persons were still being sought worldwide at the end of 2025"

They indicated that, according to data from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's Global Family Links Network, "227,378 new missing persons were still being sought worldwide at the end of 2025." "However, this figure only reflects part of the global reality, as many disappearances are never reported or documented. In Senegal, since 2008, 1,537 people have been sought by their families through the Red Cross Family Links Network," they noted.

Thus, the initiators announce that the 2026 edition will bring together families from Thiaroye-sur-Mer, Yoff, Pikine and several localities in the Dakar region to carry "a message of hope and resilience, through a strong plea for increased mobilization in favor of their rights to know the fate of their missing loved ones".

“Uncertainty is one of the cruellest forms of suffering. As long as the fate of a loved one remains unknown, families live between hope and despair, unable to move on. Our collective responsibility is to do everything possible to preserve their dignity, meet their needs and advance the search for missing persons,” said the Delegate for the Protection of Family Ties at the ICRC Regional Delegation in Dakar.

"Each disappearance leaves behind a family suspended in waiting, torn between the hope of seeing a loved one again and the pain of not knowing."

Ibrahima Diedhiou, president of the Association of Families of Missing Persons of Casamance, stated: “The disappearance of a loved one remains a particularly painful ordeal. While migration is now the leading cause of disappearances in Senegal, the conflict in Casamance continues to leave many families in limbo. Caught between the hope of finding their loved ones, the inability to grieve, and the need for recognition, they await answers and increased support from the authorities.”

Further on, the Secretary General of the Senegalese Red Cross, Ibrahima Laye Thiome, stated that "every disappearance leaves behind a family suspended in waiting, torn between the hope of seeing a loved one again and the pain of not knowing." "For the Senegalese Red Cross, supporting these families means acknowledging their suffering, preserving their dignity, and reminding them that they are not alone. Alongside the ICRC, family associations, and the authorities, we will remain committed to supporting the search for missing persons, maintaining family ties, and offering loved ones the listening ear, solidarity, and humanity they need," he declared.