The Gambia’s appointment as Non-Permanent Co-Chair of the Global Alliance for the Missing (GAM), alongside Switzerland, is an important international responsibility that should be matched by concrete action at home and abroad.
Beginning October 1, 2026, the two-year mandate will place The Gambia in a position to contribute to international efforts addressing one of the most painful consequences of migration: people who disappear while travelling, often leaving families without answers about their whereabouts or fate.
For a country with a significant migration experience and a large diaspora, the issue of missing persons has particular relevance. Families who lose contact with relatives during migration journeys can endure years of uncertainty, with little information about what happened to their loved ones. The humanitarian consequences extend beyond the missing individuals to parents, spouses, children and entire communities.
The co-chairmanship therefore presents an opportunity for The Gambia to turn its experience in migration governance and diaspora affairs into meaningful international cooperation. Working with Switzerland, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other members of the alliance, The Gambia can help promote better information-sharing, identification mechanisms and support for affected families.
However, international recognition must be accompanied by domestic commitment. The government should ensure that relevant Gambian institutions have the capacity and coordination mechanisms needed to respond effectively to cases of missing persons. Families seeking information should be treated with dignity and given access to clear channels through which cases can be reported and followed up.
The Gambia should also use the co-chairmanship to amplify the voices of families who often remain at the centre of this humanitarian crisis but are rarely heard in international discussions.
The appointment is a recognition of responsibility, not merely an honour. The real measure of its success will be whether the two-year term produces stronger cooperation, practical solutions and greater hope for families searching for answers.