Paper short abstract:

This paper delves into the complex dynamics of categorizing migrants and mobility within the context of regional integration and free movement, focusing on ECOWAS in comparison to the EU. It shows that the “inside” “outside” differentiation in the ECOWAS case is much more ambiguous than in the EU.

Paper long abstract:

This paper delves into the complex dynamics of categorizing migrants and mobility within the context of regional integration and free movement, focusing on ECOWAS in comparison to the EU. While existing research emphasizes a distinct "We" and "Them" division in the EU between "mobile citizens" and third-country national "migrants," this paper investigates whether similar dynamics exist in the ECOWAS. Through document analysis and interviews with policy actors in both regions, the analysis shows that the distinction between migrants "from the inside" and "from outside" the region is more ambiguous in ECOWAS than the EU-focused literature suggests. Despite a strong regional identity rooted amongst others in historical intra-regional migration, migrants from outside the West African free mobility space are not per-se considered more problematic. Regional identity partially extends beyond ECOWAS member states to encompass the entire African continent. In the meanwhile, predominantly low-skilled intra-regional migrants are often perceived more critically by policy actors than extra-regional migrants that are expected to bring skills or financial revenues. Casting this lens back on the EU, it becomes apparent that similar mechanisms are at play, with the notorious problematization of ‘welfare migration’ within the EU versus the race on talent from the outside. Thus, the paper traces the meaning of the West African regional mobility space for the categorization mobile populations, while highlighting the logics of “wanted” wealthy and utile vs. “unwanted” poorer migrants that cross-cut regional belonging in both regions.