Aligning European migration policies with African priorities: Policy advice on African migration for Nordic decision makers

The 27 European Union (EU) member states have been engaged in negotiations on a new pact on migration and asylum since 2020. With recent reports of increases in the number of asylum seekers to the EU, and in irregular migration across the Mediterranean Sea, pressure is building to keep to the schedule, with an agreement ready by 2024. Under Sweden’s presidency of the EU, migration was one of the priority issues on the agenda as Sweden hosted its first EU summit in February 2023. Alongside EU efforts to build a new common migration policy platform, the African Union (AU) is building a new free trade area, which also has a protocol on the free movement of people, a dimension that will impact the EU-AU partnership on migration. Migration governance has become a key theme in EU-AU relations, significantly influencing the overall partnership between the two bodies. In the context of shifting geopolitical trends and other global challenges, both continents need stronger collaboration; a more genuinely shared vision and understanding of migration governance will be key in that endeavour. Nordic decision makers should use their influence to take a leading role at EU level and encourage the adoption of a more holistic policy agenda, informed by the priorities of African policymakers and the aspirations of African migrants. This should provide the tools to bridge European and African perspectives on migration governance and invest in more sustainable strategies.