The aim of this paper is to analyze DevCo(Development cooperation) agreements between Liberia and the EU to examine the extent to which the EU development ‘aid’ policy maintains global power imbalances in Liberia. Therefore, this paper presents an advisory report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) for the European Commission to persuade the Commission to question its approaches in DevCo. As a first step, the theoretical framework including the legal aspects on which the EU’s development cooperation is based and the concepts of postcolonialism and resilience will be presented. On the basis of this conceptual structure the Liberia-EU relation will be investigated through focusing on the Cotonou agreement and the National Indicative Programme (NIP) between Liberia and the EU to analyze power imbalances.
Since the EU has an expressed competence to conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements with Third Countries (TC), the EU developed a strong legal position and assigned responsibility for development cooperation (DevCo) and humanitarian aid. Hence, the EU concludes DevCo agreements with countries of the Global South like Liberia to promote sustainable development and eradicate hunger and poverty following the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. However, the EU’s DevCo is called into question because frequently the EU sacrifices important principles such as partnership or human rights to the domestic policy-driven goal of preventing migration movements towards Europe. Thus, the practices of development aid reproducing power imbalances like the loss of cultural identity and social capital are maintained through the new approach of DevCo which promotes equal partnerships but reinforces postcolonial structures.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Theory
Legal Aspects of EU Development Cooperation
Postcolonialism
Resilience
Case Study
Outlining EU and Liberia relation
A postcolonial neocolonized world order?
New approaches: Is resilience the key in transcending powers?
Conclusion
Strategy and Recommendations
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper aims to critically analyze the development cooperation agreements (DevCo) between the European Union and Liberia to determine the extent to which these agreements maintain global power imbalances. The research investigates whether these cooperation instruments perpetuate colonial structures under the guise of sustainable development and partner-based aid.
- Legal frameworks of EU development policy and their practical application.
- Postcolonial critique of power dynamics between the Global North and Global South.
- The role of the EU's "Resilience" concept in current development strategies.
- Evaluation of the Cotonou Agreement and the National Indicative Programme (NIP) for Liberia.
- Recommendations for moving toward a more equitable development approach.
Excerpt from the Book
A postcolonial neocolonized world order?
According to Broberg (2020), one of the main challenges in EU DevCo is the mainstreaming of EU interests. The mainstreaming of Western ideas has its roots in colonialism and is today still active through postcolonial characteristics framing former colonized states. Indicators of Liberia’s colonial past like its flag or the presidential representative democracy modeling the US, illustrate the postcolonial presence. The agreements framing the Liberia-EU relation today involve obligations by Liberia to stick to powerful, Western institutions. Article 36 of the Cotonou agreement states that WTO compatible agreements are to be concluded and the NIP pays high attention to UNMIL. Article 21 TEU expresses the guidance of EU international action by “the principles of equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law”. The alliance of powerful Western actors is nothing new to the African history which is “dominated by a climate of interventionist global neoliberal imperialism” (Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2013). Hence, the fact that the EU is binding Liberia to WTO and UN obligations through the initialed agreements increases and reinforces power imbalances as expressed in chapter 2.2.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the research focus on EU-Liberia development cooperation, establishing the goal to evaluate if current policies exacerbate existing global power imbalances.
Theory: The theoretical section provides an analysis of the legal foundations of EU development policy and integrates postcolonialism and resilience as critical frameworks for investigation.
Case Study: This core section investigates the practical implementation of development policies in Liberia, specifically examining the Cotonou Agreement and the National Indicative Programme through a critical postcolonial lens.
Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the research findings, confirming that current EU development instruments often function as mechanisms that facilitate European interests rather than genuine sustainable empowerment.
Strategy and Recommendations: This chapter provides actionable advice, suggesting a shift away from Western-centric templates toward locally grounded, equitable cooperation models.
Keywords
Liberia, European Union, Development Cooperation, Postcolonialism, Resilience, Global South, Power Imbalances, Neocolonialism, Cotonou Agreement, National Indicative Programme, Aid Policy, Human Rights, Global Strategy, Sovereignty, Sustainability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental objective of this research?
The research examines whether development aid agreements between the EU and Liberia genuinely foster sustainable development or if they serve to maintain and reinforce historical power imbalances.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The paper covers legal frameworks of international aid, postcolonial critique, the geopolitical role of the Global North, and the operationalization of the "resilience" concept in development.
What is the primary research question?
The study asks: To what extent does the EU development aid policy maintain global power imbalances in Liberia?
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The paper employs a qualitative analysis of policy documents, legal treaties (such as the Cotonou Agreement), and academic literature situated within a postcolonial theoretical framework.
What is the focus of the main section?
The main section consists of a detailed case study of the Liberia-EU relationship, analyzing how development aid is structured, managed, and how it impacts local sovereignty.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Postcolonialism, EU-Liberia relations, Power Imbalances, Development Cooperation (DevCo), and Resilience.
How does the concept of "Resilience" fit into the EU’s strategy?
The EU utilizes "resilience" as a key leitmotif in its 2016 Global Strategy, aiming to help states withstand shocks, though the author questions if this is merely a new form of neoliberal control.
Why does the author argue that current development aid might be counterproductive?
The analysis suggests that aid is often "Western-washed," focusing on donor interests and institutional compliance rather than addressing the root causes of dependency and historical inequalities.
What specific recommendation does the author make?
The author recommends that the EU should prioritize locally-driven approaches, replace aid-focused terminology with true cooperative language, and incorporate input from scholars within the partner countries.
What is the significance of the "Cotonou Agreement" in this context?
The Cotonou Agreement serves as the primary legal framework for the relationship between the EU and ACP countries, and the paper analyzes it as a tool that embeds Western institutional standards into Liberian governance.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2020, The Liberia-EU relation and development cooperation. Another Western washed template?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/945206
