Schlieter, ElifElifSchlieter2025-02-202025-02-202025https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/106314Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2025This study examines the instrumentalization of the Syrian refugee crisis, which began in 2011, by the European Union (EU) and Turkey. Within the framework of the EU’s external migration policy, the EU opted to transfer its protection responsibilities to Turkey, offering financial and technical assistance in return for Turkey’s adherence to a stricter border regime. After years of ongoing negotiations, the EU and Turkey formalized the EU-Turkey Statement in 2016. This agreement, conceived with an emergency mentality, outlined economic and political incentives for Turkey’s cooperation. The EU and Turkey viewed the crisis and the Statement as an opportunity to achieve their foreign and national policy objectives. In addition to addressing migration management, the Statement also established the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRIT), a coordination mechanism under which various projects have been implemented to assist Syrian refugees and affected host communities in Turkey. In February 2020, Turkey announced the suspension of the EU-Turkey Statement, expressing its discontent with the deal and ceasing its preventive duties at the borders. This resulted in significant conflict at the Turkish-Greek border and strained bilateral relations with the EU. Despite this, FRIT cooperation continued at the technical level, presenting a compelling scenario in EU-Turkey relations where conflict and operational cooperation coexisted. This study unpacks the causal mechanisms that led to this complex outcome.engExternalizationInstrumentalizationRefugee CrisisFRITTurkey320doctoralthesisurn:nbn:de:bvb:473-irb-1063144