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In an article for the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Hein de Haas and Simona Vezzoli compare the cases of Mexico–US and Morocco–EU to gain better understanding of migration-development links

The article Migration and Development on the South–North Frontier: A Comparison of the Mexico–US and Morocco–EU cases, compares two countries, Mexico and Morocco, that despite many differences both sit on the global South-North frontier and a common position as prime reserves of low-cost, low-skilled migrant labour for the US and the EU respectively.

Based on the analysis presented in the article undertaken as part of IMI’s ‘Transatlantic Dialogues on Migration and Development Issues Project’, IMI co-director Hein de Haas and IMI Research Officer Simona Vezzoli argue that in spite of surging remittances and the considerable contributions of Mexican and Moroccan migrants to improved living standards in origin areas, migration cannot overcome structural development obstacles and deeply ingrained political and economic inequalities in Morocco and Mexico. In fact, migration may deepen such inequalities and deflect the attention away from states' failure to create favourable conditions for equitable development.

The full article is available from Taylor & Francis Online

Read a related article ‘Time to Temper the Faith: Comparing the Migration and Development Experiences of Mexico and Morocco’ by Hein de Haas and Simona Vezzoli published by the Migration Policy Institute (also available in French and Spanish)

Read an earlier working paper 'Migration and development: lessons from the Mexico-US and Morocco-EU experiences', Hein de Haas & Simona Vezzoli

Find out more about the Transatlantic Dialogues on Migration and Development Issues project