The External Dimension of Italian Migration Policy (DEPMI): a mapping of the tools to manage migratory flows with countries of origin and transit

Recent shifts in migration governance – especially the externalization of border control and the strategic use of migration cooperation – demand systematic analyses of how states manage migration beyond their borders. Italy has emerged as a key actor in this domain, yet its external migration policies remain understudied. The DEPMI project addresses this gap by mapping and analysing Italy’s bilateral migration engagement with 28 countries across North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia between 2000 and 2024. It sheds light on the objectives, tools, and evolution of Italy’s external migration governance through two original datasets of over 140 bilateral instruments and 1,800 migration-related development cooperation projects. Complemented by 28 country profiles and an interactive map, DEPMI provides a robust framework for comparative analysis and policy reflection. This article outlines the project’s aims and methodology, while presenting key research findings from the Sub-Saharan African context. It shows how the region, once peripheral, has become central to Italy’s migration diplomacy, with a strong emphasis on containment, returns, and the strategic use of legal migration as diplomatic leverage.