By Michael Clemens and Kate Gough
The EU recently announced it would triple its funding for border management and migration. This announcement marks one of the latest efforts by Europe to stem the migration arriving at its borders.
Previous moves, like the EU Trust Fund for Africa or France’s decision to open a migrant processing centre in Niger, have looked to deter migrants from leaving their homes to begin with. Such efforts have come alongside other efforts aimed within Europe, such as an outsized focus on returns and immigration enforcement throughout the Global Compact for Migration process.
We’re not convinced these efforts will, as designed and on their own, actually work to deter migration. Evidence points to the contrary, at the very least when such policies are implemented unilaterally and without different, complementary efforts.
But Europe does recognise that it’s facing a new migration reality, and its policy and programmatic decisions will need to adapt and respond. Destination and origin countries alike can prioritise programs and partnerships that harness the large potential benefits and drive toward mutual “wins” across the board — rendering positive outcomes for the destination and origin countries, and migrants themselves.
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