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Emergency Trust Fund for Africa

Strategy

European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (EUTF for Africa) was set up to enable the EU, its Member States and donors to respond to the different nature and dimension of crises in eligible partner countries.

It helps addressing the root causes of destabilization, forced displacement and irregular migration by promoting economic and employment opportunities, as well as combating smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. It supports stability and contributes to better migration management in line with the EU development-led approach to forced displacement.

Its structure, which allows for a joint and flexible response, has permitted to deliver concrete and swift results on the ground in complementarity with development programmes implemented under the EDF and other instruments, humanitarian assistance, stabilisation and crisis response assistance and CFSP/CSDP actions.

Our Strategic lines of action

The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa has four lines of action, common to the three regions, as set out in the Trust Fund strategy.

Greater economic and employment opportunities

Strengthening resilience of communities and in particular the most vulnerable including refugees and other displaced people

Improved migration management in countries of origin, transit and destination

Improved governance and conflict prevention and reduction of forced displacement and irregular migration

The Strategic Board of the EUTF for Africa has reviewed the strategic priorities to reflect evolving needs and emerging challenges and inputs received from different stakeholders.

At its 4th Meeting in April 2018, the Strategic Board agreed to focus on six priority areas in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel/Lake Chad:

  • Return and reintegration
  • Refugees management (Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework)
  • Completing progress on the securization of documents and civil registry
  • Anti-trafficking measures
  • Essential stabilization efforts in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel
  • Migration dialogues

In the North of Africa region, the Strategic Board agreed to focus on:

  • Protection of vulnerable migrants, assisted voluntary return and sustainable reintegration and community stabilization
  • Support to integrated border management
  • Support to labour migration and mobility
  • Support to improved migration governance

At its 5th meeting in September 2018, the Strategic Board confirmed these decisions.

Principles of intervention

Strategic and efficient processes through political dialogue with partner countries and approaches adapted to specific challenges

Speed and flexibility to ensure swift and timely implementation as well as adaptive programmes to changing contexts

• A holistic, integrated and coordinated approach for maximum impact

Local ownership and partnership to understand local contexts and respond to partner countries and beneficiary communities' needs

• An evidence-based approach in order to understand drivers, dynamics of migration, and to map out responses.

• A Do-no-harm or conflict-sensitive approach to maximise development actor's contribution to peace and stability.

• Principles of subsidiarity and complementarity with other EU instruments and donors.