Returning migrants: Europe’s focus, but at what cost?

Prioritising returns irrespective of the costs could be damaging in multiple ways.

Europe’s focus on returning migrants to Africa, despite resistance at continental and country levels, is growing and is likely to increase in scale and scope. These policies and practices are some of the most contentious in the migration domain. Prioritising returns irrespective of the costs could be damaging in multiple ways, including exacerbating the ‘root causes’ of migration and even resulting in higher migration flows.

About the author

Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo is a senior research consultant at the Institute for Security Studies. She is a migration expert who has worked as a senior migration consultant, researching and implementing responses in high-flow regions including Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Her expertise focuses on understanding migration drivers and behaviour, particularly in high-risk and fragile environments.

Picture: IOM/Emiliano Capozoli