Source: West Asia and Africa, No.2, 2026

Abstract: Foreign aid serves as a crucial instrument within Qatar's diplomatic policy toolkit. While existing scholarship predominantly analyzes the motivations behind Qatar's foreign aid through descriptive policy examinations, this study employs the “Desires-Beliefs-Opportunities” (DBO)theory to interpret Qatar's foreign aid strategies. The DBO framework conceptualizes he state as a unitary, bounded rational, and self -interested actor, positing that national behavior is driven by the dynamic interaction of three core variables—desires, beliefs, and opportunities. It contends that Qatar's foreign aid constitutes a rationally self-interested strategy shaped collectively by these variables. At the level of desires, Qatar deploys foreign aid to protect practical interests such as national security and economic development, countering geopolitical challenges while advancing economic diversification. In terms of beliefs, to expand regional influence and navigate strategic competition among external powers, Qatar capitalizes on its hydrocarbon wealth and diplomatic heritage to cultivate an independent foreign policy space. Regarding opportunities, Qatar seizes changes in aid demands, actively participating in international aid cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, aiming to enhance its international prestige and status. Qatar's foreign aid is characterized by distinct features and notable efficacy. This strategic deployment of aid has successfully cultivated a favorable international image for the state and advanced its national interests within complex geopolitical competitions. Concurrently, it has pioneered a novel aid paradigm that emphasizes South -South mutual trust and community resilience, signaling the emergence of a more multipolar global aid ecosystem. Although it has brought increased influence to developing countries, its limitations and challenges are also undeniable.

Keywords: international relations in the Middle East; foreign aid; Qatar; DBO theory; behavioral mechanism