The anthology analyses how migration policy objectives have been integrated into development cooperation in a selection of European countries, focusing on Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway. Through a comparative analysis of policies, governance, and implementation, it examines how aid is used to address irregular migration and facilitate return, reintegration, and migration partnerships with third countries. The studies are based on document analysis and interviews with key stakeholders. The anthology highlights both the opportunities and limitations of using aid for migration policy purposes and discusses its relevance for Swedish policy in light of the government’s ongoing reform agenda for Swedish development assistance.

Key conclusions and recommendations 

  • Development aid is increasingly used as a tool to achieve migration policy objectives, such as reducing irregular migration and strengthening return.
  • This shift typically occurs through the adaptation of existing aid instruments rather than the creation of entirely new programmes.
  • Coordination across policy areas (e.g. development and migration) is essential, but difficult to achieve in practice.
  • Cooperation with third countries is primarily based on incentives (e.g. support, partnerships, and capacity-building) rather than conditional aid (where support is granted or withheld depending on the partner’s actions).
  • Development aid can support certain migration-related governance objectives, for example by strengthening institutional capacity for migration management, improving conditions for the reintegration of individual returnees, and supporting legal migration pathways. However, there is limited evidence that such interventions significantly affect migration flows or contribute to long-term development.
  • There is a risk of trade-offs between migration policy priorities and the overarching objectives of development cooperation, such as poverty reduction.
  • For Sweden, this implies a need for:
    • clear governance and division of responsibilities among relevant actors
    • realistic expectations of what development aid can achieve in the field of migration policy
    • stronger policy coherence between migration and development objectives

About the authors

The anthology is edited by Henrik Malm Lindberg and Iris Luthman at the Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi), with contributions from researchers and experts in migration and development policy across Europe.

This anthology has been produced the Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) in collaboration with Delmi and the European Migration Network Sweden (EMN). It is a continuation of the EMN report ‘Migration and Development Cooperation’ from 2024.

The anthology was published on 22 April 2026.

Photo: Arne Hoel / The World Bank.