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Foreign assistance and migration choices: Disentangling the channels

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  • Lanati, Mauro
  • Thiele, Rainer

Abstract

At least since the large refugee movements to the EU in 2015, many policymakers see foreign aid as a means to stem migrant inflows. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms through which foreign aid might affect migration decisions. To this end, we run gravity-type regressions for the aid categories proposed by Clemens et al. (2012): (i) short-impact aid that may generate income growth in the short to medium term, and (ii) late-impact aid that affects non-monetary dimensions of well-being such as the quality of public services but may lead to higher incomes only in the long run. We find a strongly negative impact of late-impact aid, which suggests that donors may be able to dampen migrant inflows by focusing on improved public services.

Suggested Citation

  • Lanati, Mauro & Thiele, Rainer, 2018. "Foreign assistance and migration choices: Disentangling the channels," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 148-151.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:172:y:2018:i:c:p:148-151
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2018.09.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Timothy J. Hatton & Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2002. "What Fundamentals Drive World Migration?," NBER Working Papers 9159, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Michel Beine & Christopher Parsons, 2015. "Climatic Factors as Determinants of International Migration," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 117(2), pages 723-767, April.
    3. Berthélemy, Jean-Claude & Beuran, Monica & Maurel, Mathilde, 2009. "Aid and Migration: Substitutes or Complements?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 1589-1599, October.
    4. Michael A. Clemens & Hannah M. Postel, 2018. "Deterring Emigration with Foreign Aid: An Overview of Evidence from Low‐Income Countries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 667-693, December.
    5. Michael A. Clemens & Steven Radelet & Rikhil R. Bhavnani & Samuel Bazzi, 2012. "Counting Chickens when they Hatch: Timing and the Effects of Aid on Growth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 122(561), pages 590-617, June.
    6. Dustmann, Christian & Okatenko, Anna, 2014. "Out-migration, wealth constraints, and the quality of local amenities," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 52-63.
    7. Michael Faye & Paul Niehaus, 2012. "Political Aid Cycles," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(7), pages 3516-3530, December.
    8. Lanati, Mauro & Thiele, Rainer, 2018. "The impact of foreign aid on migration revisited," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 59-74.
    9. Gamso, Jonas & Yuldashev, Farhod, 2018. "Does rural development aid reduce international migration?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 268-282.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mauro Lanati & Rainer Thiele, 2020. "Foreign assistance and emigration: Accounting for the role of non‐transferred aid," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1951-1976, July.
    2. Jonas Gamso & Jikuo Lu & Farhod Yuldashev, 2021. "Does foreign aid volatility increase international migration?," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 581-598, July.
    3. Marchal, Léa & Naiditch, Claire & Simsek, Betül, 2021. "Managing Migration Flows Through Foreign Aid," ILE Working Paper Series 46, University of Hamburg, Institute of Law and Economics.
    4. Lanati, Mauro & Thiele, Rainer, 2020. "International Student Flows from Developing Countries: Do Donors Have an Impact?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    5. Mauro Lanati & Rainer Thiele, 2021. "Aid for health, economic growth, and the emigration of medical workers," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(7), pages 1112-1140, October.
    6. Fuchs, Andreas & Gröger, André & Heidland, Tobias & Wellner, Lukas, 2023. "Reduziert Entwicklungshilfe Migration? [Does foreign aid reduce migration?]," Kiel Policy Brief 169, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foreign aid; Migration;

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • F35 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Aid
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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