VALLETTA 2015 TO ABIDJAN 2017: RECENT TRENDS IN AU–EU MIGRATION RELATIONS

This policy brief analyzes the evolving migration relations between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) leading up to the November 2017 AU-EU Summit in Abidjan. It highlights a fundamental mismatch in priorities: the EU focuses on stemming irregular migration and border control, while African nations prioritize development, employment, and the management of remittances. The author critiques the EU's use of aid conditionality through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and notes the lack of a unified African position on migration, which weakens the continent's leverage in bilateral and international negotiations.

• There is a significant divergence in migration priorities between the EU and African countries. The EU emphasizes the prevention of irregular migration, the disruption of smuggling and trafficking networks, and the readmission of migrants. In contrast, African nations focus on enhancing resilience, creating employment in sending countries, addressing development needs, and utilizing remittances.
• The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) is criticized for prioritizing the EU's migration agenda over African development needs. Funding is skewed toward countries based on their migration profiles, and the EU is accused of using development assistance as a tool of conditionality to secure commitments on border control and readmission.
• The EUTF's financial allocations are heavily weighted toward specific regions, with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin receiving the largest share. Out of a total of EUR 1,589 million across 106 programmes, EUR 918.5 million is allocated to the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, EUR 606 million to the Horn of Africa, and EUR 64.5 million to North Africa.
• The 2015 Valletta Summit resulted in the Valletta Action Plan (VAP) and the creation of the EUTF, with pledges totaling EUR 10.31 billion. A majority of the VAP's funding (60%) and initiatives (50%) are dedicated to addressing forced displacement and the root causes of irregular migration.
• African Union members have struggled to establish a coherent, continent-wide approach to migration, partly due to conflicting national interests. Some countries benefit from remittances from outward migration, while others, such as South Africa and Kenya, advocate for stricter border controls to limit economic migrants.
• The proliferation of bilateral 'mobility partnerships' between the EU and individual African states—such as Morocco and Tunisia—is seen as undermining the AU's collective efforts and progressive principles, as these agreements often favor EU security interests over long-term African development.

APA

Parshotam, A. (2017). VALLETTA 2015 TO ABIDJAN 2017: RECENT TRENDS IN AU–EU MIGRATION RELATIONS. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Policy-Briefing-168.pdf

Chicago

Parshotam, Asmita. VALLETTA 2015 TO ABIDJAN 2017: RECENT TRENDS IN AU–EU MIGRATION RELATIONS. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2017. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Policy-Briefing-168.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Parshotam |first1=Asmita |title=VALLETTA 2015 TO ABIDJAN 2017: RECENT TRENDS IN AU–EU MIGRATION RELATIONS |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2017 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Policy-Briefing-168.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{parshotam2017valletta, author = {Parshotam, Asmita}, title = {{VALLETTA 2015 TO ABIDJAN 2017: RECENT TRENDS IN AU–EU MIGRATION RELATIONS}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Policy-Briefing-168.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }