The European Union’s External Action Walks a Tightrope: The Challenge of Balancing Dynamics Between Humanitarian Aid and Counter-Terrorism Policies

This working paper examines the links and dynamics between the European Union (EU) counter-terrorism and humanitarian aid policies. These policies often share the same ground and are subject to sensitive interactions as one is very political and the other, by principle, is not. Thus, it is interesting to see how these dynamics can influence their effectiveness in achieving their objectives and in ensuring the overall coherence of the EU’s external action, in accordance with Article 21(3) of the Treaty on EU. For this purpose, this working paper will explore the following questions: To what extent do the dynamics between humanitarian aid and counter-terrorism contribute to the effective achievement of their respective objectives? What is the impact of these dynamics on the overall coherence of the EU foreign policy? 

This paper finds that some of the objectives inherent to the two policies may overlap but differ in the way in which these are achieved. Indeed, a certain complementarity could exist in the prevention of violent extremism and terrorism, field expertise and the capacity of humanitarians to cooperate with local actors. However, contradictions through sanctions and criminalisation of aid, as well as the antagonism materialised by the humanitarian principles, impede effective or coherent dynamics between these policies. A case study on the Sahel and Syria illustrates these policy interactions where the EU has decided to fight terrorism through different means, such as sanctions and CSDP missions. These cases demonstrate that policies are forced to coexist on the ground and that the EU has, to some extent, been able to meet the challenge of contradictions but didn’t reach coherence.