Europe's 'Migration Crisis' as a Managed Opportunity
THE ACTORS The primary actors include European Union member states, particularly Spain (as a frontline host), various African governments (e.g., Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco – often recipients of EU aid for border control), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in rescue and aid, and private security contractors. Also critical are the human smuggling networks themselves, often operating
with impunity across vast stretches of territory and sea. THE FUNDING The European Union allocated €34.4 billion for its external migration policy from 2014-2020 through initiatives like the European Development Fund and the Trust Fund for Africa. A significant portion of this funding is directed towards third countries to enhance border management and curb irregular migration, effectively
externalizing Europe's borders (European Council, 2021). For example, Spain received €37.3 million from the EU's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) for 2014-2020, with a focus on border returns (European Commission, 2021). Furthermore, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) saw its budget increase from €143 million in 2015 to €754 million in 2022 (Frontex, 2022), much of
it on surveillance and interdiction in regions like the Atlantic route. THE INCENTIVES EU member states are incentivized to demonstrate 'tough on migration' policies to domestic electorates while simultaneously benefiting from aid packages that tie development assistance to migration control (Carnegie Endowment, 2021). African governments receive substantial financial aid and security assistance