How does economic development aid affect conflict intensity in minor civil conflicts? Previous research has found that economic development aid in civil wars can effectively reduce conflict...Show moreHow does economic development aid affect conflict intensity in minor civil conflicts? Previous research has found that economic development aid in civil wars can effectively reduce conflict intensity. It does so either directly by incentivising the population to cooperate with the government or indirectly by raising the opportunity costs of joining an insurgency. I propose that the same holds for minor civil conflicts. Due to insurgent groups’ weakness vis-à-vis the government, I argue that development aid in minor conflicts will have a greater substantive effect than in civil wars. Using data on 59 aid projects in federal states across Ethiopia, Mali, and Nigeria, I show that regions receiving development aid experience less violence than those without aid projects in regions under government control. However, an increase in development projects within these regions is associated with an increase in conflict intensity. In regions under insurgent territorial control, development aid substantially increases conflict intensity.Show less
While the European Union’s Global Gateway project aspires to promote employment and the creation of “decent”, that is stable, safe, and sustainable jobs around the world, its prospects for success...Show moreWhile the European Union’s Global Gateway project aspires to promote employment and the creation of “decent”, that is stable, safe, and sustainable jobs around the world, its prospects for success are hardly assured, particularly as past experience shows similar initiatives' outcomes to be profoundly mixed and highly contingent on conditions across sectors and countries. The global cocoa industry is a particularly significant arena in this regard, as it has been seen as both an engine for growth and employment and as a site of widespread labor violations. Written against the backdrop of the Global Gateway project, this thesis examines the experience of the EU's involvement in similar initiatives in Africa in the period 2016-2021, through a case study of the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Ghana.Show less
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) need to acquire donor funding to carry out projects. In the past, NGOs used to be progressive agents for social change. Nowadays, they are described as part of...Show moreNongovernmental organizations (NGOs) need to acquire donor funding to carry out projects. In the past, NGOs used to be progressive agents for social change. Nowadays, they are described as part of the development machine. The dependency of NGOs on donors and the competition between NGOs are both increasing. Donors also expect more reports from NGOs on projects. Altogether, the challenge for NGOs to get funding is increasing. At least, that is what the existing academic literature states. This research will examine these challenges for NGOs in the relation with donors for funding. It will answer the following research question: ‘What do Dutch NGOs see as the biggest challenge in the funding system with donors?’ The research will focus on the level of accountability, competition between NGOs for donor funding and dependency on donor funding. To answer the research question, a qualitative case study approach on Dutch NGOs was chosen. Semi-structured interviews with employees from Dutch NGOs were scheduled to gather data. This data explains how the three factors are perceived by the employees from Dutch NGOs and if this accords to the existing literature. The findings showed that the respondents from the NGOs did not unanimously express one of these three factors as burdensome. However, the respondents from the NGOs did express that the bureaucratic element in accountability is considered as the most challenging. Especially smaller NGOs (NGOs with less than 100 employees) experience the demanding reports as problematic. It increases the workload, which limits implementation time of the projects.Show less
