Migration deals and border controls are designed more to protect Europe than to address the root causes of migration in Africa.

European policy has increasingly shifted toward a transactional approach, offering aid and partnerships in exchange for African nations acting as a buffer zone. This strategy prioritizes short-term security and containment over long-term, sustainable development.

The "Externalization" of Borders

European policy, particularly since the 2015 refugee crisis, is focused on externalizing its borders. This means that instead of managing migration at its own frontiers, Europe seeks to control it in African countries of origin and transit. This is accomplished through a number of mechanisms:

• Financial Incentives: The EU provides significant financial aid and development assistance to African nations, but these funds are often tied to strict conditions on migration management. A substantial portion of the aid is allocated to projects that directly support border surveillance, law enforcement, and anti-smuggling operations. For example, the EU's Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, while claiming to address root causes, has been widely criticized for its focus on security and containment. This approach prioritizes border control over development aid, creating a system where African nations are paid to act as Europe's gatekeepers.

• Security Partnerships: European countries are establishing security partnerships and providing military and technical assistance to African governments. These partnerships, often framed as counter-terrorism or capacity-building efforts, are a key component of the migration control strategy. By training and equipping African security forces, Europe empowers them to patrol borders, intercept migrants, and dismantle smuggling networks. This creates a reliance on European support, giving Europe significant leverage over African governments.

The Failure to Address Root Causes

While European policy often mentions the need to address the "root causes" of migration, the implementation of these policies tells a different story. The true drivers of migration, such as poverty, lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and climate change, are often not the primary focus.

• Transactional vs. Transformative Change: The transactional nature of migration deals means that they are often short-term and project-based, lacking the long-term commitment needed for transformative change. Genuine development requires massive investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation, which goes far beyond the scope and scale of migration-related aid. By prioritizing quick results on migration numbers, European policy fails to invest in the structural reforms that would enable African nations to create their own opportunities and retain their populations.

• Contradictory Policies: Europe’s approach is often contradictory. While it seeks to address migration, other European policies, such as unequal trade agreements and resource extraction models, contribute to the very economic conditions that drive people to migrate. This contradiction highlights that the primary goal is not to solve the underlying problems but to manage the consequences of those problems for Europe.

The Geopolitical and Human Cost

This approach has significant geopolitical and human costs.

• Undermining African Sovereignty: Migration deals can compromise the sovereignty of African nations by forcing them to prioritize European security interests over their own development goals. It also undermines regional integration efforts, such as the African Union's goal of free movement within the continent, by encouraging African states to erect new borders and barriers.

• Human Rights Concerns: The externalization of migration control has raised serious human rights concerns. European-funded and trained forces have been accused of abuses against migrants. By outsourcing border control to countries with poor human rights records, Europe may be inadvertently contributing to the exploitation and suffering of the very people it claims to be helping. Furthermore, these policies force migrants onto more dangerous routes, leading to an increase in deaths at sea and in the desert.