Foreign Aid: Between Good Intentions and Self-Interests

Since the middle of the twentieth century foreign aid has been an important aspect of Norwegian foreign policy. The country has long been among the most generous donors of aid to suffering areas, and it has played an active role in international organisations working for sustainable development. Indeed, national policymakers have seen Norway as a great humanitarian power. This chapter discusses their motivations behind foreign-aid contributions and efforts. It reveals that while being motivated in part by a desire to make the world a better place, a significant degree of self-interest has also been involved. Being perceived as a “good” nation has been a policy goal in itself, as it increases the country’s soft power. Moreover, being a strong humanitarian strengthens Norway’s credibility when arguing for a stronger role for international law and norms. The chapter also discusses how in the last decade more focus has been put on Norwegian business opportunities in foreign-aid policy.