Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Economics

First Advisor

Monica Das

Abstract

Historically, foreign assistance has been used to support and advance donor countries own interests upon recipient countries. Foreign assistance primary use is to influence and change the behavior of a recipient country. This is achieved by providing foreign assistance to countries in their efforts to maintain global peace, security, provide economic development and humanitarian relief. Germany is ranked as the third-largest donors within the development assistance committee (DAC). Primarily, Germany allocates its official development assistance (ODA) to recipient countries based on emphasis on good governance and human rights. Currently, Germany’s ODA is at a record high and increasing every year. The country has made countless efforts to reach its own target goals and send more essential aid to the neediest countries. Recently, Germany has shifted its ODA commitments to Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) countries due to the Arab Spring uprising events that occurred through 2011. The Arab Spring caused massive migration displacement across the MENA region. The displaced migrants have made the conscious effort to find better lives in Europe. However, migration is discussed with security narrative across countries within the European Union (EU), such as Germany. The EU countries have increased its efforts to prevent higher of influxes of internationally displaced persons from arriving at their border and claiming asylum. Therefore, ODA is now viewed as an essential tool to support potential migrants in their country of origin and prevent from immigrating to Europe. In my study, I select eleven MENA countries and examine whether German ODA effected migration inflows of the MENA into Germany. I found insignificant and negative results regarding ODA disbursement. But I conclude that migration inflows were positive and significant. This means that ODA made Germany as an attractive destination country. This means that Germany must reassess itself and determine whether ODA is right tool to prevent migration flows.

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