Neven Mimica, the European commissioner for international development, insists that addressing the root causes of migration and pursuing — even doubling down — on the European Commission’s current development goals aren’t mutually exclusive.
The European Commission’s aid portfolio in West Africa is “pivoting” toward migration, he told the African Leaders Summit in Dakar, Senegal, last week. But the new 1.8 billion euro ($2.05 billion) EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, he said, is an opportunity to “accelerate the [Commission’s] current efforts in West Africa,” which, together with EU partners, amount to about 1.2 billion euros for the period until 2020, not including the new fund.
Mimica has the tough job of trying to balance the migration-focused politics of the EU with a broad portfolio of development goals. He says it’s a win-win, but critics question whether the Commissioner can use his solid — if largely untested — track record to achieve real impact under a potentially politicized aid agenda. Shadowing Mimica in Senegal as he toured new and ongoing projects slated to receive support under the new migration fund, it was clear that the initiatives ran the gamut of sectors. From education; to water, sanitation and hygiene; to agriculture and water infrastructure; the range of projects gave Mimica the opportunity emphasize the cross-sector potential of migration-driven development.