Codevelopment has generally been understood as a combination of migration policies and development cooperation, and as the promotion of immigrants as agents for the development of their countries of origin. Coined in the 90s in France, this concept was quick to gain international recognition, and it has been regarded as a ‘win-win-win’ strategy that benefits the countries of origin, the host countries, and immigrants themselves. However, today the term faces the risk of being used in an abusive manner, and there is a concern that actions that are being classified as codevelopment are actually being used to stop immigration or to diminish the amount of official development assistance. This study examines the definition given to the concept of codevelopment by different European countries and by the European Union itself; and critically analyses the politics and outcomes of these diverse conceptualizations of the term.

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Stefan Möhl
Bachelor of Sociology by Bielefeld University and Masters by the University of Potsdam. Research Assistant of the Migrations Program of CIDOB (2008-2009)