When development cooperation is transformed from a tool for poverty reduction into a reward – or punishment – programme for migration control. Officially, aid and partnerships should support shared objectives. Unofficially, cooperation is increasingly measured by how quickly a government agrees to take back deported nationals and militarise its borders.  

Features include: 

• Threats of cutting aid rebranded as “policy incentives”  
• Aid budgets repurposed persuasion tools to promote migration control  
• Partner countries free to choose their own policies, provided they choose the ones Europe wants 
• High risk of deportations and human rights violations  

Example: 

“The country was encouraged to strengthen cooperation on returns in order to deepen its partnership with the EU.” 

Translation: 

“Nice development programme you’ve got there. It would be a shame if something happened to it… but surely nothing will, so long as you reduce migration to the EU”