Impact of foreign policy on development aid: Polish democratic assistance in Georgia

Abstract

This dissertation discusses the evolution of Poland's foreign policy towards Georgia, focusing on its democratic assistance through development aid. It examines the motivations and drivers behind Poland's continued support for Georgia's democracy, despite facing varying levels of democratic backsliding in both countries. The study aims to understand how Poland employs democratic assistance through development aid as a tool to achieve its geopolitical and bilateral goals, particularly countering Russia's influence in the region and supporting the democratisation of Georgia. The dissertation contributes to the fields of Central European studies and International Relations, shedding light on the emerging countries in the region. The structure of the thesis involves an overview of Polish foreign policy towards its eastern region, an exploration of democratic assistance as a concept, and an analysis of publicly available documents, such as cooperation acts, plans, and reports from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study changing trends in development aid to Georgia.