Geneva: The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency, has reported that nearly 8,000 individuals either died or went missing on irregular migration routes last year. This alarming figure has prompted the agency to call for the expansion of safe and established pathways and to emphasize the importance of protecting people in need, irrespective of their migration status.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the organization noted in a statement that the actual number of deaths and disappearances is likely much higher due to funding cuts that have disrupted humanitarian access and hindered the tracking of such incidents. The IOM also raised concerns about the declining number of legal migration routes, which has led more individuals to rely on smugglers for their perilous journeys.

IOM Director General Amy Pope highlighted that the ongoing loss of life along migration routes represents a global failure that must not be normalized. She pointed out that in the absence of safe migration options, individuals are compelled to embark on dangerous journeys. Although projections indicate a decrease in deaths along migration routes to 7,667 in 2025, down from approximately 9,200 in 2024, this trend underscores reduced access to information and funding shortfalls that have impeded efforts to monitor and report deaths accurately.