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Good governance

Good governance – precondition for and goal of German development cooperation

The promotion of good governance is a key element of German development cooperation. The extent and form of Germany's engagement in development cooperation with a given country depends on that country's development-orientation and internal political conditions. The greater the legitimacy and development orientation of the state's actors and the more stable its institutions, the greater the potential of development policy to improve the situation of local people.

The German understanding of good governance is illustrated by what is known as the Catalogue of Criteria, which is used on an annual basis to assess the development orientation of partner countries in terms of:

  • pro-poor and sustainable policy design

  • respecting, protecting and guaranteeing all human rights

  • democracy and the rule of law

  • state effectiveness and transparency

  • cooperative behaviour within the international community.

These criteria decide whether and in what form Germany engages in development cooperation with a particular country. However, good governance is not only a precondition but also a goal of German development cooperation in various policy areas.

The BMZ Strategies on "Development-Oriented Transformation in Conditions of Fragile Statehood and Poor Government Performance" and "Promotion of Good Governance in German Development Policy" set out the framework for the practical elaboration of German development policy in this area. The two strategies thus complement one another and are embedded within the efforts of the international community.

Similarly, the Development Policy Action Plan on Human Rights (2008 to 2010) highlights the close link between the strengthening of good governance and the advancement of human rights.

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