The ICRC is registering unprecedented numbers of missing persons

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, 

The ICRC is registering unprecedented numbers of missing persons. 

More than 56,000 new cases have been registered in 2024 alone, resulting in a current total of nearly 255,000 cases that the ICRC is actively following up on. 

Several developments are contributing to this worrying trend.

First, over 120 armed conflicts rage on in the world today – close to a threefold increase since the year 2000.  

Second, in many of them, core principles of International Humanitarian Law are blatantly disregarded. This includes:

• the indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure;
• failure to collect or willful withholding of information on those captured or killed from families and the ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency;
• undignified treatment of human remains, which impedes identification efforts; and
• the disruption or destruction of means of communication, preventing the exchange of family news.

Third, too often, the need to resolve and prevent missing persons cases is neglected in peace processes, resulting in hundreds of thousands of cases remaining unaddressed, often for decades. 

The effects of this humanitarian tragedy are profound and long-lasting as families live in painful uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.

Where missing persons caseloads remain unaddressed, they can turn into obstacles to sustainable peace by perpetuating distrust and resentment among communities and former conflicting parties. 

IHL contains a well-developed set of state obligations that seek to prevent and address disappearances. The biennial General Assembly resolution – as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2474 – reflect these. However, implementation is insufficient in most of today’s conflicts. 

We would therefore like to highlight two important aspects today:

First: Preparedness. At a moment of great uncertainty and global instability, States must fully integrate IHL compliance into national legislation and military doctrine, notably with regard to preventing and addressing disappearances. As stated in the General Assembly and UN Security Council resolutions, ensuring full cooperation with the ICRC on this objective is essential, and we stand ready to advise on how to do so. 

Second: the international community – through both resolutions – also recognized the link between missing persons and peace. IHL obligations on the search for missing persons extend well beyond the end of hostilities, and it is therefore critical that missing persons are part and parcel of discussions on peace agreements and primary “day after hostilities” actions.  Last year, the ICRC published guidance to help mediators include the issue into their work. 

To conclude, on April 8th, as part of the ICRC’s Global Initiative on IHL, an event that explores the link between missing persons and peace, specifically its incorporation into peace and mediation processes, will take place in Geneva. We hope that all Member States will join this important discussion in furtherance of the above-mentioned objectives.

Thank you.