Policy Interventions in Curbing Irregular Migration from North Africa into Europe: The Case of Egypt and Morocco

Abstract

Reducing irregular migration is a policy priority of most states in North Africa. In the last decade, North African countries have implemented a range of practical measures to prevent and reduce irregular migration to, through and from the region to Europe. With various states taking different approaches to irregular migration dependent on their overall policies and peculiar experiences of irregular migration, this study aims to understand the policy interventions that the Egyptian and Moroccan governments have implemented in curbing irregular migration flows into and from their countries. By studying the individual national policies and regional and bilateral agreements on migration regulation, the study sought to examine the similar and varied approaches by Egypt and Morocco in curbing irregular migration from their respective countries into Europe The comparative analysis is supported by content analysis of existing literature on migration policies and empirical data from interviews. Based on the comparative analysis, the study reveals that Egypt‟s and Morocco‟s geographical position between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe have made migratory flows in North Africa more complex in nature. It is found that though governments of Egypt and Morocco have all stepped up their efforts in managing irregular migration, Morocco seems to be in the lead, even though the country still faces irregular arrivals and exits. In the context of the study results, it is recommended that an integrated approach with broader stakeholder collaborations is needed to effectively tackle the issue of irregular migration. A shift away from ad hoc security-based approach to a more humanitarian policy framework is recommended to enable the two North African States benefit from migration and effectively deal with the challenges of irregular migration