UN special envoy Robert Fowler has been missing in the west of the Central African country of Niger, according to agencies' reports yesterday.

The reports said Fowler who is from Canada disappeared on Sunday evening in the Karma region, about 40 km from the Nigerien capital of Niamey. The vehicle he was travelling in was found there.

The envoy arrived in the city last Thursday.

The Niger's Foreign Ministry has expressed concerns over his disappearance, quoted as saying in a statement that defense and security forces have conducted a search in cooperation with the UN system, but no news was available now.