Mehari Taddele Maru:
This chapter discusses the progress in developing cooperative migration policies between European and African countries over the past 20 years. Rather than providing a comprehensive review and assessment, the specific aim of the chapter is to reflect critically and ‘take stock’ of major policy achievements and failures in this cooperation. In doing so, it identifies fundamental unresolved issues.
Unless they are identified clearly and discussed openly, there is little hope of overcoming persistent obstacles in Africa-Europe partnerships on migration and of making substantial progress toward more effective and sustainable joint policies in the future.
Projects that were identified as commonly shared priorities of the Africa-Europe partnership and were politically supported by both sides clearly did better than others—particularly diaspora initiatives, counter-trafficking measures, the facilitation of remittances, and the promotion of free movement regimes. Some cooperation areas that were true priorities only for one side (such as return and readmission for the EU) faced stiff resistance from Africa, despite considerable resource allocations and diplomatic pressure by the EU. Other cooperation areas that garnered very limited political will and resources from European governments (such as expanding legal pathways) did not materialize despite Africa’s demands.
The chapter shows that there is a wide gap between the frequency of new policy announcements and the rather limited progress made in practice. After more than 20 years of agreements and initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperative policy making on migration, tensions remain unaddressed and major objectives unachieved.