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Illustration of different kinds of people walking on a European map and the EU ring of stars
Foto: EU Neighbours South

Research project

Migration and Development: Sharing knowledge between Norway and Poland

The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the relationship between migration and development in order to suggest more effective policies for addressing root causes of migration in weak and fragile states.

Themes

  • Development policy
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration

There is a widespread perception that development is the best way to stop mass migration from Global South to Europe. Yet the relationship between the two is more complex – rising incomes and growing economies can both hamper as well as facilitate emigration from developing countries.

Increased economic growth can lead to less migration, but not in isolation from broader development processes, including legitimate and transparent institutions and credible democratization that increases citizens’ trust in their states and their own long-term well-being. This means we need to better understand this relationship to design and implement development cooperation policy that address real root causes of migration in weak and fragile states.

Norway is an experienced donor with hard-learned lessons on the impact of development assistance, including how it may affect migration patterns. Poland is an interesting case study in itself as it undergoes transformation from emigration to immigration country. Poland is also expanding its development cooperation policy to focus more on root causes of migration in Africa and Middle East. This gives the two countries an excellent opportunity to share their experiences and develop more effective responses to challenges in EU neighborhood.

Project Manager

Patryk Kugiel
Senior Analyst, PISM

Participants

Morten Bøås
Research Professor
Henriette Ullavik Erstad
Former employee
Viljar Haavik
Research Fellow

Articles

Articles
News
Articles
News

New project examines root causes of migration in Africa and the Middle East

What is the relationship between migration and development?

  • Development policy
  • Europe
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration
Bildet viser båtmigranter fra Libya i en gummibåt til havs i 2018

New publications

Publications
Publications
Report

Can Aid Solve the Root Causes of Migration? A Framework for Future Research on the Development-Migration Nexus

An important dimension of the European Union’s response to the 2015 refugee and migration management crisis has been to address the root causes of irregular migration. A major tool the EU has to mitigate push factors of migration is development assistance. Yet, the literature shows that the casual relationship between aid and migration is complex and far from obvious. This article summarises the ongoing debates and major findings concerning the development-migration nexus in order to better inform policymakers about the potential risks and shortcomings of using aid in migration management. It suggests a framework for future research on what kind of assistance might work, for whom, and where.

  • Development policy
  • Europe
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration
  • The EU
  • Development policy
  • Europe
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration
  • The EU
Publications
Publications
Patryk Kugiel, Viljar Haavik, Morten Bøås

Much Ado About Very Little? Migration-Linked Development Assistance — the Cases of Poland and Norway

In response to the migration management crisis that peaked in Europe in 2015-2016, the EU institutions and some European states promised to address the “root causes of migration”, with development assistance seen as an important tool in that respect. By comparing the development cooperation policies of Poland and Norway, this paper shows how the development-migration nexus has been implemented in practice by new and traditional donors alike. Despite important differences at the rhetorical level, neither state has substantially changed their development cooperation to link it directly to migration interests. This demonstrates the limited usefulness of the “root causes of migration” approach.

  • Security policy
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Migration
  • Theory and method
  • Security policy
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Migration
  • Theory and method
Publications
Publications
Report

The External Dimension of EU Migration Management: The Role of Aid

Aid is seen as a key EU instrument in addressing the root causes of migration, but it has not been decisive for the drastic reduction of irregular arrivals in Europe in recent years. Nevertheless, development assistance has become crucial leverage for the EU in persuading major transit countries to improve their border control. Although this “externalisation” of EU border management seems like a successful approach for now, it is not sustainable in the long term. The Union still needs to find better synergy between migration management and development policy that is not designed to stop migration but to manage and regulate it in a more mutually beneficial way.

  • Development policy
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Migration
  • The EU
  • Development policy
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Migration
  • The EU

Themes

  • Development policy
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration

Project Manager

Patryk Kugiel
Senior Analyst, PISM

Participants

Morten Bøås
Research Professor
Henriette Ullavik Erstad
Former employee
Viljar Haavik
Research Fellow