Forced Migration Policy Briefing 2: Development assistance and refugees - Towards a North-South grand bargain?

Targeted development assistance (TDA) refers to the way in which donor states can provide overseas development aid to host countries of first asylum as a means to enhance refugees’ access to protection and durable solutions. Its central characteristic is an integrated development approach, which focuses on the needs of both refugees and host communities, through, for example improving livelihood opportunities, service provision or infrastructure. Its aim is to enhance refugees’ access to rights, self-sufficiency, and, where possible, local integration. Under certain conditions, the use of targeted development assistance by Northern donors to Southern refugee hosting regions can enhance refugee protection and access to durable solutions in refugees’ regions of origin, while simultaneously addressing the concerns of both North and South. This brief reviews several cases which highlight the conditions necessary for TDA to be successful.