22. Mai 2025 Rede von Bundesentwicklungsministerin Reem Alabali Radovan beim Afrikatag (englisch)

Es gilt das gesprochene Wort!

Good afternoon Excellencies,
Members of the Bundestag,
distinguished guests
and thank you Your Excellency Ambassador Alaoui and Mr Peiß for hosting us today.

In my debate on the future of German development policy with the members of the German parliament last week, much of the discussion centred around the idea that development policy and international cooperation should be guided by values and interests.

The values mentioned were freedom, equality, justice and dignity. These are the values that matter. And these are the values to which the Organisation of African Unity committed itself in its founding document in 1963.

And that is exactly how I understand international cooperation, how I understand development policy: it is not about asserting one’s own values or interests. It is about shared values. And common interests.

In this spirit: I am honoured that one of my first official engagements as the new German Development Minister is this meeting with you – the ambassadors of African countries. Because you are important partners for Germany – now more than ever.

In a world where inequalities within societies are growing, where conflicts and crises are increasing, and where the climate crisis is taking an even greater toll – especially on the people and regions that contributed to it least – we need more, not less, international cooperation. And we need strong international institutions.

It is therefore the right decision by the new federal government to maintain a strong, independent development policy. We want to send an important signal to the world: a signal that isolation and disengagement will not prevail. That Germany will remain a reliable and trustworthy partner. And that Germany will continue to foster multilateral solutions and stable partnerships.

But it is also clear that German development policy needs to adapt – to the changing geopolitical and domestic context. Only then can it be as powerful as we need it to be.

How exactly do we adapt?

It is now my responsibility as the new Minister to answer this question.

And that is why I am currently listening very closely, asking questions and engaging in discussions. With international partners and with you here today. With researchers, with civil society and business leaders, from Germany, Europe and the Global South.

One thing I can already assure you of – even after just two weeks in office – is that our cooperation with African partners will play a key role going forward.

It is a question of solidarity. Of what is needed to achieve equality and justice. And it is a question of what is needed to achieve peace and security.
As a federal government, we are pursuing an integrated security policy – combining foreign, defence and development policy.

It is our goal to work together with our African partners towards stability on our neighbouring continent.

A special focus should be placed on the Horn of Africa. There is no need for me to explain to you the situation the people are facing there – the experts are sitting among us. But from my perspective, stability in this region is fundamentally important, not only for the people of this world but also for the EU’s foreign trade. One in three containers imported to the European Union passes through the Red Sea, past the Horn of Africa. There is critical infrastructure based in this region. As an export-driven economy, Germany has a particular interest in being engaged here, and in achieving peace and security in the region.

We need a strategic approach for this – in partnership with our African, European and international colleagues.

In the new coalition agreement, the German government has committed to an Africa policy that reflects Africa’s strategic importance – in particular by intensifying economic cooperation.

We aim to foster long-term economic partnerships, especially in the energy sector. Our goal is to align development cooperation and the promotion of foreign trade more closely. We are currently working out the details in order to implement this goal swiftly and effectively.

One thing is clear: international – and economic – relations can only be sustainable if they are built on partnership, respect and mutuality.

This includes aligning our work with African institutions and initiatives – above all with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 „The Africa We Want“.

It includes balancing our respective interests.

And it includes advocating for changes to global structures and international institutions so that African countries are adequately represented.

The coalition agreement also commits to addressing Germany’s colonial past – a goal I fully support.

Because it is the right thing to do.

Because only those who recognise Africa’s experiences of colonialism, enslavement, imperialism and proxy conflict – only those who take responsibility for their history and don’t define their engagement in Africa merely in contrast to China’s or Russia’s influence – will find true partners on the continent.

Let me give you two examples that illustrate how we are working together on the basis of mutual interest, respect and partnership.

The first is Ghana and Germany’s cooperation in the field of vocational education and training. Together with private-sector actors from both countries, German development cooperation is investing in skills training. This helps young people in particular qualify for the local labour market – and for potential jobs abroad. The goal? To avoid brain waste and create prospects, whether at home or abroad – „brain gain instead of brain drain.“

The second is the cooperation between Namibian and German partners on green iron, produced using renewable hydrogen. This initiative creates jobs in Namibia, strengthens the local economy, and reduces Namibia’s dependence on coal-based electricity imports. It brings together private and public actors from both countries. On the German side, both the Ministry for Economic Affairs and the Development Ministry are involved – the BMZ supports training, the BMWE funds the facility. This is a great example of how development cooperation and the promotion of foreign trade can be meaningfully combined.

These two initiatives show the opportunities that targeted investment can create. And we need more of them.

To fully unlock Africa’s immense economic potential, we need investments – particularly those funded by private capital. We must succeed in combining public and private resources. Public funds can serve as a catalyst, lower the cost of finance and reduce risk – both the real and the perceived risk of investing on the African continent. But to actually achieve sustainable development, more private capital is essential – especially in times of declining public development financing.

However, geopolitical uncertainty has created a difficult investment climate. We are seeing increasing protectionism and focus on national self-interest everywhere in the world – which is shaking the foundations of international economic and trade policy and increasing uncertainty. Military conflicts and climate change are also increasing investment risks.

Today, German direct investments in African countries still account for less than 1 per cent of global German investment. In concrete figures, this means just 12 billion out of 1.6 trillion euros. And these investments are not well diversified – they are focused on Southern and Northern Africa, and on the textiles and agriculture sectors.

But Africa is diverse and offers many more opportunities for economic cooperation.

That is why the coalition agreement has committed to better financing and to providing risk guarantees for export-oriented and investment-ready companies.

We will modernise and expand the guarantee framework for loan security, and combine foreign trade promotion and development cooperation in the German private sector.

We want to simplify the complex system of support programmes and make them more accessible for businesses.

In order to mobilise more private capital for sustainable development, we are building on the Platform initiated by former minister Svenja Schulze and other partners, which will combine public and private investment more effectively through standardised financial products.

Working together at the global level to find solutions for boosting development finance in the future is one of the goals of the BMZ’s second Hamburg Sustainability Conference in June, and also feeds into the Financing for Development Conference in Seville in June, which I will attend.

Investing in Africa is investing in the future. It is a strategic choice – for prosperity in Africa and in Europe, for stability and for shared strength.

What is needed now is a bold step forward towards more focussed economic cooperation.

But the economy is not an end in itself. It must serve the people – improve their living conditions, opportunities and prospects. And this can only be achieved by joining forces.

I want to work with African partners on equal participation opportunities for all members of society, and particularly women and girls – as we cannot leave more than 50 per cent of the population behind.

I want to work with African partners on global challenges – protecting our climate and nature and adapting to climate change, strengthening global health and pandemic response, fostering peace and security, and investing in shared standards for human-centred digitalisation, including artificial intelligence.

How are we going to do this?

Through our work with international bodies: with the United Nations – where Germany will remain a firm supporter and will advocate for a stronger representation of Africa within the UN system, including the Security Council – with the African Development Bank and with the World Bank, whose reform I will continue to push forward.

Through the G20, to which the AU acceded two years ago, and whose presidency is now held by South Africa.

Through our strong, trustful bilateral cooperation programmes, of course – which will remain a key pillar of our long-standing development cooperation.

And of course, through European initiatives like Global Gateway, too.

And last but not least: through enhanced inclusion of diaspora organisations here in Germany, as their perspective is also key to our work. And I hope to have the opportunity to meet with some of them very soon.

When our two continents work together, when European and African countries engage in joint economic efforts, they can shape the future.

The AU-EU Ministerial that just took place in Brussels – and is still taking place – demonstrates the willingness to engage and cooperate.

We stand at a point in time where Europe and Africa can become more than partners – we can be co-creators of a new economic and political standard, grounded in respect, openness and mutuality.

It is time to move beyond old ways of seeing each other – and to embark on a new, shared era.

As German Development Minister, I will work towards this goal, together with you.

Thank you.