A comparison of development assistance policies: Turkey and the European Union in sectoral and humanitarian aid

Abstract

In recent years, Turkey has allocated humanitarian aid that surpasses much richer economies, including the EU. This article provides a thorough look into the patterns of divergence, complementarity and cooperation opportunities that emerged between Turkey and the EU, on sectoral aid, allocated between 2005 and 2017. The empirical analysis demonstrates whether foreign aid sectors that Turkey is active in could lead to further cooperation with the EU. These possible avenues of cooperation matter precisely because Turkey's potential role to contribute to the global development agenda, as an emerging donor. Second, Turkish foreign aid has the potential to contribute to the EU's collective interests in foreign policy, since Turkey is still an EU candidate country. This article aims to contribute to the literature on emerging donors using the Turkish case as an illustration of the differences among donors, as well as foreign aid literature within the contours of European integration.