Reviewing the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF for Africa): A Sustained Shift Towards Aid Securitisation

This article evaluates the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa from 2015 to 2022 to determine if it constitutes a shift towards aid securitisation amid evolving migration and security priorities. It addresses the following research question: Has i) the rhetoric and ii) the substance of the EUTF for Africa shifted towards aid securitisation? This work is based on an in-depth analysis of EU primary sources, specifically a content analysis of the EUTF annual reports, board meeting minutes and other official reports published by the EU Commission. The work argues that both the rhetoric and substance of the EUTF have shifted towards aid securitisation, intensifying after 2017 with the adoption of new strategic objectives solely focused on migration management. Despite its initial aims of poverty alleviation and development, the EUTF has increasingly prioritised migration prevention and security initiatives.