The UK’s aid response to irregular migration in the central Mediterranean
UK aid interventions designed to address irregular migration through the central Mediterranean are currently some distance from making a measurable impact.
Read the approach paper
- PDF download (76 KB)
- Published: 6 Oct 2016
Our approach
Because the aid response was at an early stage, we opted to conduct a rapid review, focusing on: (i) the relevance and proportionality of the response, given what is currently known about the nature and scale of the problem; and (ii) the likelihood of it meeting the UK government’s objectives of reducing migratory push factors and addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by irregular migration in the central Mediterranean. The review focuses mainly on strategy and programme design, to inform the continuing development of the aid response. We focus on the migration route via the central Mediterranean because of the risks the journey poses to the people involved, and because many of the migrants on this route come from Department for International Development (DFID) priority countries in Africa, which provides us with an opportunity to examine the UK’s migration-related aid response in countries of origin.
The review does not address the UK’s asylum and immigration policy, which is not within ICAI’s remit. It covers aid programming by DFID, the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) and other departments in response to the migration crisis in the central Mediterranean, drawing on learning from the UK response to the Syria crisis and elsewhere. It does not cover the use of aid funds for refugee support costs in the UK or humanitarian support provided in the EU.
Review questions
- Relevance: Is the UK aid response to the migration crisis in the central Mediterranean relevant and proportionate, given the nature and scale of the challenge?
- Effectiveness: Are the UK migration-related aid programmes likely to be effective?