AU summit 32: Maghreb’s changing politics of migration

This report analyzes the increase in irregular migration from the Maghreb region to Europe, noting a shift from the region acting as a transit zone to becoming a primary zone of departure. The author argues that domestic economic decline and structural inequality are driving this trend, which in turn complicates diplomatic migration agreements between North African states and European nations.

• There has been a significant increase in the number of irregular migrants from the Maghreb intercepted by European states, the western Balkans, Tunisia, and Algeria. Interceptions rose from 15,961 in 2016 to 38,968 in 2018, with Maghrebi migrants' share of total irregular arrivals in Europe increasing from 3% in 2016 to nearly 20% in 2018.
• Migration routes have shifted; while Maghrebi migrants previously often traveled via third countries like Libya or Turkey, they now predominantly depart directly from their 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 domestic political and economic challenges in the Maghreb, specifically high youth unemployment, rapid inflation (particularly in Tunisia), and entrenched structural inequalities regarding government services and treatment by security forces.
• The increase in citizens migrating irregularly alters the political calculus for Maghreb governments. While migration may reduce domestic social tension by providing an outlet for restless youth, it makes security partnerships and the acceptance of returned migrants more politically contentious, as governments avoid appearing as "Europe’s migration gatekeepers."

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} }