AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration

The report analyzes the shift in irregular migration patterns in North Africa, where countries previously serving as transit zones have become points of departure. It argues that economic decline and structural inequality are driving young Maghrebi citizens to migrate, which in turn complicates diplomatic relations and security partnerships between Maghreb states and European nations.

• Irregular migration from the Maghreb to Europe has increased significantly, with the number of intercepted migrants rising from 15,961 in 2016 to 38,968 in 2018. Consequently, Maghrebi migrants' share of irregular arrivals in Europe grew from 3% in 2016 to nearly 20% in 2018.
• Migration routes have shifted from using third countries—such as Moroccans traveling via Libya or Algerians via Turkey—to direct departures from home countries. Currently, Tunisians are the primary nationality intercepted by Italy, and Moroccans are the most apprehended by Spain.
• The rise in irregular migration is driven by a worsening regional economy characterized by high youth unemployment and rapid inflation, particularly in Tunisia. Additionally, entrenched structural inequality regarding government services and treatment by security forces fuels pessimism among young people.
• The increase in citizens migrating irregularly changes the political calculus for Maghreb governments, making security partnerships and the acceptance of returned migrants more politically contentious. Governments are reluctant to be viewed as "Europe’s migration gatekeepers" at the expense of their own constituents.

APA

Herbert, M. (2019). AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/au-summit-32-maghrebs-changing-politics-of-migration

Chicago

Herbert, Matt. AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration. Institute for Security Studies, 2019. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/au-summit-32-maghrebs-changing-politics-of-migration.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Herbert |first1=Matt |title=AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=4 February 2019 |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/au-summit-32-maghrebs-changing-politics-of-migration |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{herbert2019summit, author = {Herbert, Matt}, title = {{AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2019}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/au-summit-32-maghrebs-changing-politics-of-migration}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }