BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The number of migrants going missing worldwide due to climate change and conflicts is steadily increasing, Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), Kathryne Bomberger, said at the 4th international conference on the theme "Strengthening trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of missing persons" held within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons on Wednesday, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
She pointed out that today, these figures are alarmingly high in Europe.
"Global warming, migration, and discrimination are also among the causes of people going missing. We aim to restore the rights of the families of missing persons. Naturally, these families have the right to know the truth, demand justice, and receive compensation. They need to find out the whereabouts of their missing loved ones. Therefore, we must establish the facts and eliminate uncertainty.
We must also strengthen the rule of law. We need to build trust in institutions, uphold justice and accountability, and contribute to reconciliation," Bomberger noted.
She added that Azerbaijan deserves commendation for bringing everyone together, representatives from so many different countries, at such a level.
"This is because the issue isn't limited to a single country, but is a global matter. Strengthening our resolve to account for missing persons is the primary reason for undertaking this work," she emphasized.
The 4th international conference on the theme "Strengthening trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of missing persons", organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, is being held in Gulustan Palace within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons.
The event is attended by former heads of state and government, high-ranking representatives of international organizations and foreign countries, heads of agencies dealing with missing persons, experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and human rights specialists, as well as ambassadors and military attachés of foreign countries accredited in Azerbaijan and other officials.
One of the main directions of this year's discussions is the formation and strengthening of trust between the parties.
The purpose of the conference is not to be satisfied with discussions, but to contribute to the formation of practical and sustainable mechanisms that strengthen trust and cooperation, serve to ensure families' right to know the truth, facilitate information exchange, and expand the application of modern forensic, DNA and technological capabilities. The event will continue until October 10.
