Navigating the Mediterranean: Understanding North African Irregular Migration to Europe

The SAIS Middle East & North Africa Club, in collaboration with the North Africa Initiative (NAI) at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University SAIS, organized a focused expert discussion on irregular migration from North Africa to Europe. This event examined the key drivers behind migration across the Mediterranean—ranging from socioeconomic and political instability to environmental stressors and transnational crime—while exploring the human stories behind the statistics. The program included a short documentary. Speakers assessed current legal frameworks, the role of sanctions and state fragility, and offered concrete policy recommendations to address the challenges and opportunities of irregular migration in the region.

Speakers:

Dr. Matt Herbert, Head of Research, North Africa & the Sahel — Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Intissar Fakir, Senior Fellow & Director, North Africa & Sahel Program — Middle East Institute

Roberto Forin, Deputy Director of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) in Geneva; also Head of MMC Europe.

Hafed Al-Ghwell (Moderator), Executive Director, North Africa Initiative & Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins SAIS