Why do countries give aid to others?

Europe has a problem: Africans are trying to enter it illegally in large numbers. Many of these Africans have found that the best route is in Morocco which hosts 2 European cities (Ceuta and Melilla) in its territory.

These Africans have thus entered Morocco and built camps near those 2 European cities and every now and then rush the border to cross into Europe.


Migrant cooking a meal in his camp in Northern Morocco


Migrants in their campsite in Morocco


Migrants in their makeshift home near the Morocco-Spain border

Now here’s the thing: Moroccans and Morocco don’t care.

The African migrants aren’t harming Moroccans, in fact they spend money in Moroccan businesses while they wait for a border rush. Some even offer very very cheap labor making Moroccan business owners very happy.

Average Moroccans don’t care either as the Migrants tend to concentrate in the countryside around Ceuta and Melilla leaving Moroccans in the cities alone (excluding the occasional migrant who begs in the cities, but even then leaves most people alone).

Nor do Moroccans care about what happens to Europe.

  • Europe is part of the Western World, Morocco is part of the Islamic world. Our cultures are different.
  • Our appearances too, Europeans see themselves as White. Moroccans don’t focus on race but would see themselves as Brown.
  • Our religions as well, Europeans are mainly Atheists and Christians. Moroccans are Muslims.

Thus for the vast majority of Moroccans, Europeans are foreigners unlike say, Egyptians whom they see as their brothers and sisters. Nor has Internationalism gripped in Moroccan society.

What’s my point?

Europe wants to stop the migrants. Morocco doesn’t care. So what does Europe do?

It gives “aid” to Morocco.

Spain and Germany seek EU aid for Morocco over migrants (Aug. 1, 2018)

2 weeks later:

Since the middle of last week, raids and arrests of migrants have intensified in the cities of Nador and Tangier, among others, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) reported.

Several forest camps near the Spanish exclave of Melilla have also been destroyed, it said.

In Nador alone, the association estimates that more than 600 mainly sub-Saharan migrants have been arrested and bused to the country's interior, often handcuffed together.

Morocco migrants arrested, bused away from coast: report | DW | 13.08.2018

1 month later:

Morocco receives $275m from EU to stem migration

That’s how Aid works.

While occasionally States may give humanitarian aid, this is very rarely the case. Aid is often given in exchange for things. Be it getting something done (e.g. Morocco stopping the migrants from entering Europe) or ensuring loyalty (e.g. Saudi aid to Bahrain and Jordan).

This is also why cutting off aid is a very touchy subject politically because while people may cheer over “squandered” money, Politicians and Military personnel get uneasy.

Take the recent fiasco when Trump cut off aid to Pakistan:

U.S. suspends at least $900 million in security aid to Pakistan

While Americans cheered, the US military panicked:

US Military Weighs Options In Case Pakistan Blocks Afghan Supply Lines


NATO trucks carrying supplies for Allied forces in Afghanistan traveling through a road in Pakistan

That $900 million was given to Pakistan as payment for keeping the roads to Pakistan secure and accessible to NATO military personnel. It was not free money.

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