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The political economy of migration governance in West Africa

Zanker, Dr. Franzisca (2020): „The political economy of migration governance in West Africa“. 2020 MEDAM Assessment Report on Asylum and Migration Policies in Europe. MEDAM: Kiel
Abstract:
Despite the increasing attention on West Afri- can countries as a major region of origin for refugees and other migrants coming to Eu- rope, there is little research that specifically considers the position, stakes, or interests of West African states. However, in order to understand the stakes of migra- tion cooperation, the EU and its member states need to better understand how and in what ways African governments prioritize migration. This means con- sidering migration policy interests in a more holistic way rather than reducing them to migration toward Europe, as that would render analysis of an African view incomplete. Because different migration interests can be played off against each other, it is vital to look at where irregular migration to Europe stands in relation to other issues like diaspora remittances and displace- ment in the country. For research on the “Political Economy of West Af- rican Migration Governance” (WAMiG) 42 project, we employ such a holistic understanding, expanding on a point that has repeatedly arisen in previous studies for MEDAM.
Forschungsbereich: Patterns of (Forced) Migration
Language: English
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