Analyzing the Securitization of Foreign Aid

This assignment requires a critical examination of the secuiritization of foreign aid, including the analysis of various studies and articles on the topic. The student is expected to provide a detailed summary of the key findings and trends in the secuiritization of foreign aid, as well as an explanation of the underlying factors and implications. The assignment also requires the student to identify and discuss the potential consequences of securitizing foreign aid, including its impact on development policies and practices.

Critically assess the impact
of the securitisation of
development aid

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
The Securitisation of Foreign Aid and its trends........................................................................1
Impact of the securitisation of development aid.........................................................................6
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Securitisation of aid refers to the aid given by donor countries to fragile or conflict prone
countries and they have their national security interests attached to it. The term securitisation was
popularised in the study of international relations which jotted at Copenhagen School. It means
security concerns become unrelated and securitised by the entities who attach a security value to
them. In this context, the focus is on the impact of securitisation of developmental aid. Since the
last two decades, multilateral as well as bilateral donors of development aid have rapidly cited in
their proclamations of national as well as international security as the justification for aid
provision. In this context, the report examines the influence of securitisation of international aid
given by foreign countries for developmental motives.
MAIN BODY
The Securitisation of Foreign Aid and its trends
Countries that are affected with violence, the argument on development and security
which concentrates on providing security to human beings has been embarked after 9/11 terrorist
attack in the United States. Simultaneously, all main donor nations of Europe, North America
and Asia acknowledged their aid systems to reflect effective conflict sensitivity with new
emphasis on security that has related impact and has efficient coherence between traditional
foreign aid, development assistance and security policy. However, due to military interventions
in Iraq, Afghanistan, Balkans and other war prone areas, international security and armed force
including homeland security has been deployed by industrialised nations. Thus, this creates more
tension and conflict between their military and armed forces. Brown and Grävingholt, (2016)
states that nevertheless, although all donor nations frequently refer to twin rationales reducing
disputes for the sake of human beings immediately. This is also helpful in providing people
assistance to prevent spill over negative consequences. For instance, Canada vigorously
promoted human security at one point, whilst the United States formulated prevention of
terrorism a core objective of its agenda. In United Kingdom, industrial innovation and
development such as Conflict Prevention Pools stood alongside an explicit aid allocation
focusing on eradication of poverty (Brown, 2016). Germany heavily invested in developing
robust infrastructure in order to underpin civilian conflict prevention. The European Commission
at European Union level has developed its objectives with new focus on enhancing security
which was laid down in 2003 European Security Strategy.
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Approach of government and fragile states are usually associated with securitisation of
foreign aid. All donor countries involved in this volume came to concentrate on state fragility,
albeit as they utilise different terminologies and sometimes it depicts different meanings.
According to Brown and Grävingholt, (2016) all donor countries embrace whole government or
government approaches with the exception of Japan. Further, other terminologies were not so
widely deployed. For example, Japan and United States especially concentrates on War towards
Terror whilst only Japan considered the value of human security with a comprehensive
perspective of harmony and peace building. By virtue of limited foreign policy mandates,
European Union needs to be aware of its collective interests as well as interests of its member
states. Nations like France and United States depicts much more national self-interest that
manifest in their discourse. This was done by Canada to a certain extent. Brown, (2018)
elucidated that only country like Japan and United Kingdom contributes their analysis and efforts
in more international and altruistic terms without eschewing self-interest. It sometimes becomes
complicated to assess at what extent the new discourses are contributing towards national self-
interest or concentrating on international public goods. These two elements often overlap in
order to attain more stability in fragile states. This could be efficient for donor countries and for
the stability of international systems. There is greater impact of securitisation of foreign aid for
developmental purposes. Donor countries provide security aid to fragile states in order to boost
up their nation economy. In present era, many countries like Syria, Myanmar, Somalia, etc. have
been facing critical situations which affect the livelihood of human beings residing there. The
foreign aid provided by the industrialised and developed countries, helps in enhancing the
protection and security level of human beings residing in the countries. Fragile states are the
most common term to emerge as part of securitisation process. Brown, (2016) argued that the
fragile states discourse inextricably linked with the post 9/11 securitisation of foreign aid. It
helps in diverging the discourse away from poverty focused, an ethnically based which practices
towards developing a more self-interested national or international security based rationale.
Canadian government defined the meaning of fragile states in vaguely and ambiguous manner.
They state fragility as “failed and failing states” to those countries that were prone to security
threats. Canada concentrates on five fragile states; according to them, they were Afghanistan,
Iraq, Haiti, Palestine and Sudan. Most of these nations have been provided with significant
amount of Canadian aid but added fragility label gives these countries an additional credibility
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which enables them for further augmented aid flows. Mawdsley, (2018) elaborated that United
States also adopts this terminology in early 1990s where Clinton administration was concerned
about the jeopardy that are associated with failing state and also worried about potential spill
over effect to neighbour countries. France adopted the terminology in 2005 as the government
was reluctant to embrace constructive perception on fragile state. They felt it like a debate which
was dominated by English speaking academia. France does not specifically consider the term as
discourse upon which they pinned foreign aid. The policymakers in France acknowledged that
fragile states are more agile and versatile term than collapsed state or failed state which
implicitly enables preventive interventions.
Japanese government were focused more on providing security to human being whilst
considering self-interest. Furness and Gänzle, (2016) argued that they adopted the term fragile
states in wider context of conflict-affected nations. Majority of aid provided by Japan was for
growth and development of human beings residing in fragile states. In order to enhance the
growth and development in fragile states and war-zoned countries, developed foreign countries
contributed heavily in terms of foreign aid.
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Illustration 1: Official Development Assistance, 1993-2013 (Source: Brown and Grävingholt, 2016 )

The above illustration depicts the total Official Development Assistance (ODA) aid flows
from Development Assistance Committee (DAC). The countries increased their aid drastically
between 1993 and 2013, especially after year 2000. Foreign aid flows enhanced rapidly in
conflict affected fragile states especially those states where Western armed forces and troops
invaded. Development Assistance Committee aid drastically increased in Afghanistan form $158
million in 2000 to $5.9 billion in 2011 which subsequently dropped in 2013 to $4.5 billion. The
securitisation of aid can also be perceived in the accent placed on security-sector reform after the
end of the Cold War, especially from French and British aid. Japan also funded many activities
in the area of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants in civil
conflicts during this time (Tuman, Strand and Shirali, 2017). In United States, developmental
aid becomes militarised where military troops have authority to deliver the received aid from
ODA on the grounds to local people. Several countries developed their own approach in order to
securitise the aid in an effective and efficient manner.
Donor nation’s government established new inter-departmental coordination mechanisms
and bodies aligning new whole government approach. For example, United Kingdom developed
inter-departmental Conflict Prevention Pools in 2001 and established numerous coordination
mechanisms which include inter departmental Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit/Stabilisation
Unit embarked in 2004. The motive of establishing these departments in order to allocate the
foreign aid in an effective and efficient manner so that the growth and development of own as
well as fragile states can be made. Brown and Grävingholt, (2016) state that the most significant
transformations had taken place in US as USAID experience a slow but steady decline in regards
with its influence and capacity to operate autonomously. Foreign aid has been granted to fragile
states who are or have faced conflicts situations or circumstances. In present era, countries like
Somalia, Myanmar and Syria were major targets of terrorist’s troops and ample amount of aid
has been granted to these countries in order to underpin the local civilians and to protect the
countries from devastation. The claim has been used by these countries significantly so that the
nation peace and harmony can be established again. Many developed countries like UK, Japan,
US and France have been contributed heavily so that the conditions of fragile states and disputed
countries could be improved effectively (Brown, 2016). Through integrated and specific
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approach, the government of donor nations contributes to fragile states through ODA. This is
done in order raise the national economy of fragile states. In order to do that, donor countries
utilise numerous approaches and methods which can ease up the flow of aid and thus they were
able to contribute as foreign aid to fragile countries. In order to enhance the protection of fragile
states, donor countries provides aid to them. The motive of providing aid to fragile state is to
regrow their economic conditions and eradicate the problems they faced due to conflicts and
crises. It positively impact on their economic conditions and many developed nations including
Germany, United Kingdom and United States of America greatly contributes to it (Tuman,
Strand and Shirali, 2017). Many countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria has been considered
as fragile state and has been provided with foreign aid in order to enhance their economic
conditions.
Impact of the securitisation of development aid
International utilisation of development aid has been made great impact on the
internationalisation of securities in the nation as it allows conversion of existing assets and future
cash flows into marketable securities. There are various types of public sources can be seen
which is independent in country to providing various kinds of grants and money to helping
needed peoples. It can be seen that, there are numbers of voluntary transfer of public resource,
from a government to another independent government, to an NHP, or to an international
organisation such as world and UN development program with at least a 25 % grant elements,
one goal of which is to better the human condition in the country receiving aid. The foreign aid
was utilised four main purposes, Diplomatic, developmental, humanitarian relief and
commercial. We can see that (Collins, 2016). There are 10 aid recipient countries which is
getting large amount of aid and grants for sufficient development in the human beings of nations.
These nations are, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Turkey, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya,
Bangladesh, Mozambique etc. all these countries are getting wide range of aid from multiple
numbers of countries around the world. It assets these counties peoples to getting sustainable
development in such areas. It can be said that, there are numbers of issues are facing by these
countries and the political leader of the country has responsibility to getting sufficient amount of
aid from various countries which can assist them to implementation of various development and
wale fare plans in industry. Apart from it, the types of aid might be classified as per various
factors including its intended purpose, the terms or condition if any in it, then its source and level
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of urgency can be used. From the analysis, it can be examined that, these countries are getting
proper welfare plans in the country by which they will be able to implementation of proper
planning of improvement in current situation of nation (Picciotto, 2010). At global level, there
are top countries which is donor of the Aid at high level in across the world which is, European
Union, United State, Germany, Japan, France, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Canada etc. all
these are the major countries which is donating wide amount of grant in a billion of dollars. It
has been seen that, securitisation has been made great impact on raising aid effectiveness in
various counties around the world. So this is an effective approach by which countries can save
the amount of money which is granted by other countries in order to gaining sufficient amount of
money. United nation and World Bank is major source of giving grants to different-different
countries as per their requirement for sustaining. Several kinds of issues has been faced by aid
terms in order proper development of aid which helps these countries to execution of their
various activities in regarding to wale fare (Brown and Grävingholt, eds., 2016). Securitisation
has been increased in some areas by which sufficient resources can be arranged for peoples of
the country. Official aid might be classified by types according to its intended purpose. Military
aid is material or logistics assistance given to strengthen the military capabilities of an ally
country. So securitisation has protected the aid to military aid is material of logistic assistance in
order to protecting country humanitarian rights. It can be said that, these countries are making
use of Aid money to making proper development of such areas where something new activities
can be used in such a manner, where something new activities can be applied in sufficient form.
So Aids benefits can be gained by poorer countries to execution of its various types of social
welfare services. Apart from it, these countries poor peoples will be able to get grant form Hone
countries to giving sustainable development of these nations and its populations as well. So
securitisation is assisting those poor and needed peoples of the nation, so they will be able to
sustain more adequately in their better being humans and sustain in effective manner.
It has seen that, securitisation has been also made great impact on increment in poor
environment of the business in order to gathering large amount of money to giving grant to its
country's needed peoples to solving them in more sufficient form of the services.(Carter, 2013).
Poverty is most critical issues for these country which is generating major barriers of country
development respectively. The impact of securitisation has made great impact development of
aids at great manner. Numbers of countries are making efforts to helping poor countries to giving
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grant to them to achieving sufficient development. So development of aid at international level
has assisted the people to meeting their necessary thing in industry. Poverty of the country can be
reduced by improving aids development and also gathering more amount of money for execution
of social welfare.
The poverty in these countries also has major issue. So development aid is aid given to
support improvement in general which might be economic development to social development or
social development in developing countries (Tartir, 2015). Most countries are looking forward to
improving the way of securitisation of aid, which assist it to increasing its amount in sufficient
level, so proper wale-fare schemes and program might be implemented on it.
Most monetary flows between nations are not counted as aid. These involves market
based flows such as foreign direct investment and portfolio investments, remittances for migrant
workers to their families in their countries, and Military aid. The terms of foreign terms in which
they have to make sufficient development in such areas by which sufficient development can be
gained in more relevant form. Apart from it, it can be said that, there are numbers of
securitisation options available here by which sufficient development can be used in such area by
which sufficient types of development can be used in such areas by which sufficient types of
issues can be used in such areas by which effectiveness can be used in such a way that could be
utilised in order to gaining sufficient amount of money (Vaughan-Williams and Peoples, 2014.).
Apart from it, numbers of issues are being arisen in case of proper development can be used in
such a way by which sufficient amount of money can be gained. It assists them to gaining proper
development in such a way by which effectiveness can be raised in proper manner. Project aid is
given for specify purpose for building well-fare infrastructure for the business in order to getting
sufficient amount of money. In addition to this, technical assistances are also associated with
each other in succession of projection of aid. It can be said that, doctors who is moving towards
into a developing country to assist with a program of development. Hence, securitisation has
made impressive impact on removing various issues of these countries in relevant manner. It has
been seen that, food aid can be provided by improving food from donor, most of the countries is
investing their money and giving grant to making use of foods for furnishing it to needed peoples
of these nations.
It can be said that the human development and security agenda is now emerged as a new
framework in order to address a good deal of underdevelopment part of world effectively. In the
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same time, the trend of traditional donor government is also increasing to view security and
development. Aid distribution is increasingly influenced and skewed by geopolitical security
objectives. The donor nations normally allocate aid where they perceive interest of national
security to be at threat. It can be said that every people wants to be safe and secure like anyone
else. The access to justice and security is the development goals and objectives of poor people
which shows their own rights. Rule of law and basic security is important for areas of
improvement and development in order to take root and flourish effectively and efficiently. It is
stated that aid plays a major role towards helping to meet poor people in nation and with their
justice and security needs effectively (Harman and Williams, 2014). However, insecurity is a
frequent driver of violent conflict and there is much research to show that conflicts and
insecurities are extremely corrosive to sustainable development, escalating the disparities
between rich and poor, weakening institutions, fragmenting communities, reversing economic
growth, causing hunger, destroying roads, schools and clinics, and forcing people to flee across
border, effectively. Aid is used for the official development of UK direct overseas. In addition to
this, Humanitarian aid has an aim of providing immediate relief and dignity to those who are
really in crisis. However, the safe world refers to the pure humanitarian and aid which should be
always sensitive to attempt the best peace within all restrictions. Security is a small word but
there are many meanings of such as similarly securitisation. In order to cut this confusion,
different approaches to security will help to emphasise importance of physical force and
perceived threats effectively. The human development report provides concept of security which
is shaped by the potential conflicts between various states. For most of the people, insecurity
feeling are worries.
There is a lot of insecurities in a human life such as income, health, environmental and
security from crime and terrorism. These are the emerging concern for local government these
days towards human security all over the world (O’Driscoll, 2017). In order to deal with these
concerns through a new paradigm of sustainable human developments, capturing the potential
peace dividends, new forms of developments co-operations and a restructured systems of global
institution. In respect to this, social welfare activities will help to determine the impact of
securitisation of development aid. Organisations providing social services are now concerned
with providing best and quality services to people in order to reduce poverty and increase a
standard of normal human being life efficiently. The aid agenda is defined by national security
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with aid and development which is seen as tool for soft power which is also useful for increasing
interests of nationals (Ikejiaku, 2014). Safe world believes that the population of conflicts have a
genuine needs of development and improvement. Moreover, the issues are detected by national
securities can be solved by making effective and efficient strategies and plans which helps to
improve and develop various life of people. Aid is used for the official development of UK direct
overseas. In addition to this, Humanitarian aid has an aim of providing immediate relief and
dignity to those who are really in crisis. Human rights standard are providing incentives for
peace and it is important also to influence where the aid is spent. It is a legitimate concern for all
the governments to ensure security of their citizens.
It is worth taking a moment to distinguish the subordinations of international
developments to national security interest from the more progressive idea that donors’
sustainable, long-term ‘national security’ relies in parts on genuine developments contributing to
a more stable world order where everyone is more prosperous, peaceful and secure. This will
help people to understand their securities needs and requirements in order to secure their life
from their own rights. It is the responsibility of local government in order to assess all the
demands and requirements of local people which is expected from the government which helps
to improve and develop life of a human being such as income and other sources of shelter etc.
The human development report provides concept of security which is shaped by the potential
conflicts between various states (Watson, 2014). For most of the people, insecurity feeling are
worries. It can be said that every people wants to be safe and secure like anyone else. The access
to justice and security is the development goals and objectives of poor people which shows their
own rights. In addition to this, ODA can be used for civilian peace building and prevention from
conflicts and resolution for them. However, the safe world refers to the pure humanitarian and
aid which should be always sensitive to attempt the best peace within all restrictions. It can be
also spent on supporting parliaments who are willing to provide better services, civil societies,
technical co-operation and training of police which helps to secure health and safety of people in
nation in terms of crime and discrimination activities. The safe world firmly believes that
security and justice is a important and crucial aspect of an individual life that poor people
security and safety towards development and improvement goals is on their own rights provided
by local government effectively and efficiently. There is also a strong argument for development
station of the disclosure of security. More positive vision can be possessed by government and
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other security and civil service provider firms in order to promote poor people access for justice
and security effectively. Development of poor people will help country to reduce negative impact
of uneducated people, employment and other things. The international community can identify
security concerns to work for population in order to improve their life standards.
The approach towards development will help to secure life of poor people in order to
manage them in an effective manner. Here is a lot of insecurities in a human life such as income,
health, environmental and security from crime and terrorism. Such things are affecting mission
and vision of government to improve and develop life of poor people. Inclusive approach will
help to recognise importance of human security (Smith, 2016). In order to promote security and
justice the communities should put people in their hearts. The OECD thinks that UK is already
signed up to technologies for working in fragile states for the engagement of international
communities. This will also help to manage and control impact of the securitisation of
development aid.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brown, S. and Grävingholt, J. eds., 2016. The securitization of foreign aid. Springer.
Brown, S. and Grävingholt, J. eds., 2016. The securitization of foreign aid. Springer.
Brown, S. and Grävingholt, J., 2016. Security, Development and the Securitization of Foreign
Aid. In The Securitization of Foreign Aid (pp. 1-17). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Brown, S., 2016. From Ottawa to Kandahar and back: the securitization of Canadian foreign aid.
In The Securitization of Foreign Aid (pp. 113-137). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Brown, S., 2016. The instrumentalization of foreign aid under the Harper government. Studies in
Political Economy, 97(1), pp.18-36.
Brown, S., 2018. All about that base? Branding and the domestic politics of Canadian foreign
aid. Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, pp.1-20.
Carter, W., 2013. War, peace and stabilisation: critically reconceptualising stability in Southern
Afghanistan. Stability: International Journal of Security and Development. 2. 1.
Collins, A., 2016. Contemporary security studies. Oxford University Press.
Furness, M. and Gänzle, S., 2016. The European Union’s development policy: a balancing act
between ‘A more comprehensive approach’and creeping securitization. In The
Securitization of Foreign Aid (pp. 138-162). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Harman, S. and Williams, D., 2014. International development in transition. International
Affairs 90(4) pp.925-941.
Ikejiaku, B.V., 2014. Current International Security Sector Development and Its Implications for
Developing Countries. Whitehead J. Dipl. & Int'l Rel. 16 p.155.
Mawdsley, E., 2018. Development geography II: Financialization. Progress in Human
Geography, 42(2), pp.264-274.
O’Driscoll, D., 2017. Leveraging change to policies, laws and practices in refugee hosting
countries.
Picciotto, R., 2010. Conflict prevention and development co-operation in Africa: an
introduction.
Smith, M., 2016. Conclusions: Europeanisation, globalisation or (re) nationalisation? Revisiting
development policy in the European Union. European Politics and Society 17(1) pp.136-
141.
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Tartir, A., 2015. Securitised development and Palestinian authoritarianism under Fayyadism.
Conflict, security & development. 15. 5. pp. 479-502.
Tuman, J.P., Strand, J.R. and Shirali, M., 2017. FOREIGN POLICY ALIGNMENT WITH THE
WAR ON TERROR: THE CASE OF JAPAN'S FOREIGN AID PROGRAM. Journal of
East Asian Studies, 17(3), pp.343-354.
Vaughan-Williams, N. and Peoples, C., 2014. Critical security studies: an introduction.
Routledge.
Watson, I., 2014. Foreign aid and emerging powers: Asian perspectives on Official Development
Assistance. Routledge.
Online
Brown. S and Grävingholt J., 2016. The Securitization of Foreign Aid: Trends, Explanations,
and Prospects. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299993650_The_Securitization_of_For
eign_Aid_Trends_Explanations_and_Prospects>
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