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What we do

Aims: What we want to accomplish

People crossing a street in Brazil. Copyright: photothek.net

Freedom and security for all; a life without poverty, fear and environmental destruction – to move a little closer to this goal, that is the aim of Germany's development policy. In its Coalition Agreement, the German government set out that, to help achieve this, it will focus in its development policy on education, health, rural development, good governance and sustainable economic development in particular. The guiding principles of Germany's development cooperation will be protecting human rights and fostering the developing countries’ sense of ownership and ability to help themselves.

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Issues: The challenges we are facing

Children from a fishing village in Brazil. Copyright: BMZ

Fighting poverty, eradicating hunger and disease, improving education, fostering democracy and peace, realising human rights and equal opportunities, preserving our environment and its natural resources – the huge tasks ahead can only be accomplished if the international community works together. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is willing to take responsibility for, and is making an important contribution to, achieving the development goals agreed upon by the international community. To this end, Germany is very involved in tackling the key issues of modern-day development cooperation.

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Working approach: What we do

Two children playing in the street with old tyres in the Philippines. Copyright: Manoocher Deghati, IRIN

When Germany provides a developing country with a low-interest loan, when German experts advise the government of a partner country on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) or when private German organisations carry out projects in developing countries, these are all approaches involving direct development cooperation between Germany and its partners. Besides engaging in such bilateral development cooperation activities, Germany is also involved in activities for the benefit of the developing countries at the international level – for example, through the EU's development policy and by supporting international organisations such as the United Nations. All three levels – bilateral, European and multilateral – are important areas of activity for German development cooperation. The BMZ is active at home in Germany, too – where, for instance, it concentrates heavily on development education and information work.

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Countries and regions: Where we work

World map

Germany is currently involved in development cooperation activities in five regions round the globe, covering 58 partner countries. Other individual countries also receive assistance as part of regional programmes or programmes dealing with specific sectors, such as fighting HIV/AIDS, climate and forest protection, and crisis prevention. Cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and its partner countries is based on bilateral agreements that are binding under international law. These agreements are negotiated in close talks between the partner countries’ governments approximately every two years.

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