30. Juni 2026 Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali Radovan on the occasion of the launch of the South-North Commission on Development
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Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear colleagues and friends,
Dear Dr. Ngozi,
Thank you very much for lighting up this room, for showing us where the challenges lie. But also, for showing us the pathway forward and pushing us into action.
And we are taking action today. Thank you so much for joining us today.
And we heard it yesterday, we just heard it now:
we are living in times of disruption and multipolarity. But even though, of course, this is a risky time, I truly believe it is also a time of chances.
A chance to finally deliver on long‑standing promises to countries of the Global South: for fair economic opportunities. And for reforms to the international order that actually reflect the world of the 21st century.
And they are a chance to build new relationships.
The countries of the Global South today hold the majority in the United Nations. They are home to over 80% of the world’s population. And, over the past decade, they have driven more than two thirds of global economic growth.
Yet these dynamics are not adequately reflected in many of our international fora. And this must change.
The German government strongly believes that fair international cooperation is the only way to achieve sustainable development, security and prosperity – in the South and in the North.
That is why the German government is today launching the new South-North Commission on Development.
We are doing this in the spirit, and we just heard it, of the Commission that was set up in 1977 and chaired by Willy Brandt, the former German chancellor known for his efforts to promote peace and reconciliation.
It helped to change the way we think about global interdependence. It highlighted where the South and North have shared interests. And it coined the term world domestic policy to describe how closely linked and mutually dependent our societies have become.
And this holds true today, of course, more than ever.
The new South-North Commission is an independent body that will bring together some of the most important voices from Africa, from Asia, from the Americas and Europe – with a majority from the Global South.
Up to 20 Commissioners from politics, business, labour, academia, international organisations and civil society will work on a number of tough questions:
What does an effective and truly cooperative international order for the 21st century look like?
How can we ensure an ambitious successor framework to the Sustainable Development Goals?
And how do our institutions and partnerships need to change in order to make this vision a reality?
The Commission will treat issues such as development finance, climate, trade and conflict as inter-connected. It aims to provide a clear compass for tackling those huge structural challenges.
And it will strive to provide answers that are meaningful for people’s lives worldwide: for stability and peace, for jobs and investment, for food security and our planetary boundaries.
The Commission will present an interim report in 2027, and a final report by the end of 2028. And I’m very sure that its recommendations will help shape policies around all the challenges I just mentioned.
And now, it is a great honour for me to introduce the two Co‑Chairs who will be leading the Commission. Both of them have been head of government in their home countries and are highly respected on the international stage.
I am truly delighted that Laura Chinchilla, former President of Costa Rica, has agreed to be Co‑Chair.
Please, come to the stage.
We are very, very honoured. Laura Chinchilla was the first woman to lead her country and is one of Latin America’s most highly regarded voices on democracy and the rule of law.
Thank you so much that you are co-chairing the South-North Commission.
And I am deeply grateful that the former German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has accepted the invitation to co‑chair the Commission.
In Hamburg I don’t need to introduce him any further. But let me say that Olaf Scholz brings with him a long‑standing commitment to multilateralism and fair partnerships with the Global South.
So thank you both for co-chairing. We are very excited to learn more about the South-North Commission in a bit.
A great round of applause to both of them for tackling these challenges. Thank you so much.