More than borders: effects of EU interventions on migration in the Sahel

European Union-funded efforts encourage Sahelian governments to prioritise border protection over the protection of people on the move.

Since 2015, European partners have funded interventions in the Sahel to help countries like Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali increase their capacity to regulate and control migration. Through these interventions, the European Union has set precedents and encouraged securitised policies that reinforce the security interests of governments in the Sahel, and undermine the capacity of regional and continental organisations to establish comprehensive migration frameworks.

About the author

Alia Fakhry is a migration researcher and policy analyst. She consults for think tanks and international organisations on issues relating to migration dynamics and policies in Europe, North Africa, the Sahel and the Western Mediterranean, and on European Union–Africa cooperation on migration. She is an Associate Researcher at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).