The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has revealed that Mozambique recorded the highest number of deaths along the Eastern and Southern African migration route, with at least 175 victims between April 2015 and October 2020, according to the Lusa news agency.
According to the agency, the data is contained in the latest report of the Missing Migrants Project (MMP), an IOM program that monitors migrant deaths and disappearances worldwide, noting that underreporting may mean the real number of victims is higher than recorded.
The document, reviewed by the agency, indicates that “the MMP recorded 175 deaths in Mozambique between April 2015 and October 2020, making the country the one with the highest number of recorded deaths on the Southern and Eastern Africa route.”
The report also highlights one of the most serious incidents in the country, involving the death of 64 Ethiopian migrants who allegedly suffocated inside a truck in Tete province, in central Mozambique, during illegal transportation.
Despite leading in the number of recorded incidents, IOM warns that Mozambique simultaneously shows low reporting levels for other known cases, indicating that many deaths are not documented.
“The MMP recorded 175 deaths in Mozambique between April 2015 and October 2020, making the country the one with the highest number of recorded deaths on the Southern and Eastern Africa route”
IOM
“The MMP recorded 175 deaths in Mozambique between April 2015 and October 2020, making the country the one with the highest number of recorded deaths on the Eastern and Southern Africa route,” the IOM states.
The document notes that migration flows through Mozambique mainly involve citizens from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Tanzania, who use the country as a corridor to reach South Africa.
Most of these movements occur through irregular transport, often used to conceal the number of migrants, significantly increasing risks during the journey.
“Factors driving irregular migration through Mozambique include the relative ease of movement facilitated by smugglers and, in some cases, authorities, lower costs, and the presence of smuggling and trafficking networks,” the IOM states.
Violence is identified as the main risk along this route, including cases of assault, robbery, kidnappings for ransom, and killings linked to trafficking and smuggling networks.
The report also adds that many migrants face extreme environmental conditions, including lack of water, food, and shelter during long journeys, as well as absence of medical assistance and exposure to diseases.
The IOM notes that similar risk patterns are observed in other countries along the route, such as Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, where cases of exploitation, violence, and deaths during travel toward South Africa are also frequent, including heightened dangers when crossing the Limpopo River.
The document concludes that the absence of safe and regular migration pathways remains one of the main factors contributing to the high number of deaths and disappearances along this route.
