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Paper short abstract:

Migration narratives have dominated EU-African policy frameworks. This paper shows that the lack of dominance of African narratives in the north-south migration discourse stems from an overemphasis on economic gains and the neglect of skilled labour retention and return in the African perspective.

Paper long abstract:

In the past decade, migration discourses have taken substantial space in EU-African policy frameworks. The African policy framing on migration, juxtaposing EU external migration policy interests, have, on some occasions, converged but mainly diverged on several issues. Within this north and south divide on migration policy frameworks and interests, the northern narrative has indeed dominated the discourses. An attempt, therefore, to illuminate African narratives within the north-south migration discourses divide calls for the understanding of what constitutes the African interests within this ever-changing EU-Africa migration policy framework.

Using political economy analysis, this paper interrogates chains of migration policy frameworks that have emerged between the EU and Africa over the last decade. It examines African narratives on different thematic migration frames within the north-south migration discourse.

The paper shows that while the EU’s external migration frameworks persistently focus on reducing irregular migration, returning undesired migrants, and attracting skilled labour, the African perspective dominantly focuses on diaspora mobilisation, remittances, and labour migration. It advances that despite the increasing evidence of brain drain from the global south towards the north, the African policy perspective has done little to retain and attract a skilled labour force.

The paper argues that the lack of dominance of African narratives and positional interest in the wider north-south migration discourse is the overemphasis of governments on financial remittances and the neglect of skilled labour retention and return. This paper shows the complex interplays of migration narratives while advocating for a stronger African perspective towards development.