Migration is key for economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It may therefore seem paradoxical that SSA and MENA countries cooperate with the EU on policies to reduce migration and increase returns. While international collaboration has become essential in migration management, the incentives, implementation and broader impact of EU migration measures in partner countries remain largely unexplored.

This project examines the effects of the EU’s external migration management policies by zooming in on six countries: Jordan, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Ghana and Libya. The countries represent origin, transit and destination countries for mixed migration flows, and differ in terms of governance practices, state capacities, colonial histories, economic development and migration contexts. Bringing together scholars working on different case countries and aspects of the migration policy puzzle, the EFFEXT project explores the broader landscape of migration policy in Africa and the Middle East.