Will EU-Africa aid deal depend on curbing migration
The plan, revealed on Tuesday evening, would provide both positive and negative economic incentives to African governments in exchange for their cooperation in cutting the flow of migrants into Europe.
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More than 1 million refugees and economic migrants entered the EU via the Mediterranean last year alone.
The EU would first partner with seven priority countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali and Ethiopia, providing €8 billion of development aid over the next five years in exchange for helping to stop the number of migrants leaving for Europe.
The European Commission, the EU government body which unveiled the plan, has said it will provide investment benefits to states that cooperate with the EU in reducing migration flows. Countries that don't help Europe with migration could see reduced EU funding.
European leaders have had mixed responses to the proposal, while many rights groups strongly criticise the deal as it would mean cooperating with corrupt leaders in certain countries.
EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopolous says the project could eventually receive as much as €62 billion in funding if EU governments match the commission's proposed funding, but before anything is passed the deal still needs approval from EU governments and the European Parliament.
EU interior ministers will meet in Luxembourg on Friday for preliminary discussions on the proposal.
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