CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF COMPLEX INTERDEPENDENCE PERSPECTIVE ON AFRICA-EUROPE ASYMMETRIC PARTNERSHIP ON MIGRATION CONTROL
Usman Yusuf Bako
Department of History & International Studies
Ibrahim BadamasiBabangida University Lapai, Niger State
Email: ubako@ibbu.edu.ng
ABSTRACT
Complex interdependence, as a theoretical perspective, challenges the earlier notion and fundamental assumptions of classical and structural realism. For realism, military and economic issues dominate and determine the behaviour of states. Complex interdependence goes further to emphasize the relevance of transnational actors on the state’s behaviour and issues of significant concern in international relations. The paper set out to provide an understanding of the growing importance of migration crisis as necessary security and economic concern, which also acknowledged the willingness of states to engagein cooperative alliance or collaborative partnership to control migration crisis. It focuses on the asymmetric Africa-European Union partnership since 2000. It providesan assessment of multilevel and multilateral framework for effective control of mass migration to Europe from Africa, even though the annual stock of African migration to Europe has reduced since2016. However, complex interdependence lacks the teleological interpretation of structural exploitation and marginalization of weaker actors in the partnership to control migration.9hence, the need for a hybrid or an alternative paradigm to complement complex interdependence.
Keywords: Complex Interdependence, Migration Control, Europe-African Partnership,Asymmetric Relations, Immigration Policy
