Do Humanitarian Military Interventions Foster Economic Growth?

Humanitarian military interventions (HMIs) are undertaken to end violent conflicts and establish political and economic stability in targeted countries. Their frequency has risen since the end of the Cold War and the United Nations’ adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine. Previous research shows neutral HMIs - targeting all perpetrators - reduce conflict intensity, while biased HMIs-supporting one side-escalate violence. This study empirically tests the effects of these interventions on long-run economic growth in targeted countries from 1960 to 2019. The findings suggest that countries receiving neutral interventions experience approximately 14 percentage points higher cumulative GDP per capita growth over 5 years compared to conflict-affected countries that do not. No statistically significant evidence is found that biased HMIs contribute positively to economic growth. Furthermore, the positive effect of neutral HMIs on growth diminishes as prior conflict duration increases. These results highlight the importance of impartiality in HMIs for sustainable economic recovery.