EU Approaches to Managing Migration Flows in the Sahel and Their Implications for the Region

Abstract

Since the start of the previous decade, the European Union has been actively engaged in political aff airs in the Sahel region. This area, which comprises some of the poorest nations globally, has become a top priority for Brussels’s foreign policy, mainly because of the 2014 migration crisis that aff ected Europe. A region destabilized by transnational terrorism saw hundreds of thousands of people fl ocking to Europe. Following this, the EU initiated the development of a comprehensive system to manage migration fl ows. This was achieved via the implementation of civilian and military missions, the creation of a trust fund to fi nance border management projects and the deployment of technical solutions to be jointly managed with the IOM and Interpol. As of 2016, there has been a decline in migration fl ows. Nevertheless, there have been several unintended consequences in the region owing to EU policies. The securitisation and criminalisation of migration fl ows and the services of Sahel «carriers» have resulted in this area merging with transnational crime and extremism. The implementation of digital migration monitoring systems has negatively impacted residents of border regions and local power factors, disrupting customary practices of daily life. This article analyses the impact of EU migration management strategies on the Sahel region and evaluates their contribution to destabilising neighbouring countries.