The Foreign Policy versus the Asylum Policy Debate

16.2.11

In the bid to determine “astute” funding cuts to pay for our Queensland
Flood Recovery program, last week the Coalition proposed cutting a
handful of foreign aid programs (including spending cuts of $448 million
for four years to an “anti-terrorist” Islamic primary school in Indonesia) as
the viable and “smarter” alternative. Unbeknown to the Coalition in the
days ahead were the heated rows and disputes inevitably unfolding, which
encapsulate the divisive issues within the party (and on the outside) on
subject matters of refugees, aid and foreign policy.

In the past fortnight, we had the “privileged” of witnessing the uprising of

Egyptians against the military regime imposed by their President Hosni
Mubarak that ultimately lead to an overhaul of their current political
system. The protest-turned-demonstrations-turned-revolution brought the
people of Egypt a brand new day – the dawning of unfathomable political
imaginings. The challenge now for Egypt is not only to reestablish a
political system that meets (the majority of) of her people’s needs and
aspirations, but also to appease some of the more powerful First-World
countries with the common values embedded in their political ideologies;
in a nutshell, these are: stability, democratic, and equality.

The political imperative for Egypt is to strengthen the economy. No doubt

in her efforts to do so, Egypt will require assistance from First-World
countries in the form of aid and international agreements to ascertain the
kinds of political reforms required to foster better international relations
and (hopefully) without bearing the cost of her people’s plight. The
opportunity here for Egypt and her allies is to plant seedlings that
ultimately resolve conflicts in the in foreseeable future.

Putting measures such as foreign aid when given (however small) at

regular intervals over consistent periods, can fuel a range of objectives
aside of reaching UN’s 2015 Millennium Development Goals for global
poverty. Funding aid programs, such as educational, training and
employment programs to impoverish communities in its efforts to
annihilate terrorism and such, can assist to stabilise the country, which
can lead to a decrease in the kinds of political upheavals that renders her
citizens to seek asylum elsewhere; unless of course, the threats are
coming from somewhere else.

So that in a bid to determine “astute” funding cuts, removing multi-lateral

programs in the areas of Refugees, Foreign Affairs, and Aid can have far
reaching and lasting impact for internal and international politics than had
anticipated.
Sally D’Souza is a social commentator on issues relating to politics, arts
and culture. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing from Canberra
University, a Graduate Diploma of Community Cultural Development and
a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and (Comparative) Religious Studies.

She is also known as the “Twitter Girl” for her witty remarks about current
political, cultural and social issues.