POLICY BRIEF September 2025 REFRAMING EU-AU MIGRATION GOVERNANCE: BRIDGING DIVERGENCE THROUGH PRAGMATIC COLLABORATION ABSTRACT Migration governance is a central concern of the partnership between the African Union(AU) and the European Union(EU), and yet it remains a source of tension and misalignment. While migration presents an opportunity to advance shared socio­economic priorities, diverging perspectives have hindered coherent cooperation between both blocs. The EU continues to frame migration largely through security, border control and policies of return from Europe to Africa, overlooking the reality that most African migration occurs within the African continent and via regular channels. In contrast, the AU emphasises migration as a driver of development, regional integration and human mobility rights. The divergence in these approaches is compounded by fragmented African positions, as individual states often pursue bilateral agreements with their EU counterparts, weakening AU coherence and bargaining power. Simultaneously, EU policymaking is frequently shaped by political symbolism and anti-migrant sentiment rather than evidence, leading to misaligned priorities and missed opportunities. This Policy Brief calls for pragmatic collaboration that bridges divergences, empowers African agency, and fosters rights-based, development-oriented migration governance. AUTHORS LUKMON AKINTOLA Knowledge Associate, Global Centre for Climate Mobility STEFFEN ANGENENDT Co-founder and Partner, Migration Experts Group IN PARTNERSHIP WITH