Flaggen vieler Länder und der Vereinten Nationen wehen im Wind.

    The North-South Commission on Development A network to tackle global challenges

    Through the establishment of the North-South Commission on Development, the German government will be strengthening international partnerships and supporting the development of answers to pressing challenges of our time.

    The North-South Commission on Development has the purpose of intensifying relations with countries in the Global South and develop them into a global network. It will bring together players from all regions of the world in order to jointly develop solutions to global challenges and overcome polarisation.

    The goal of this effort is to strengthen international confidence, lend impetus to new global partnerships, strengthen multilateralism and foster new forms of international cooperation. The outcomes of the Commission's work are to inform international reform processes and provide guidance for the future course of Germany's development policy.

    The Commission will thus also contribute to the designing of a global post-2030 development agenda. The United Nations 2030 Agenda with its 17 Goals forms the central framework for sustainable development and is a key element that guides Germany's development policy. As the Agenda only covers the period up to 2030, the North-South Commission on Development is intended to provide input and inspiration for new global goals.

    In its work, the Commission will build on the legacy of the North-South Commission set up in 1977 and led by Willy Brandt (see below for more details).

    Design and structure

    The Commission is an independent body composed of a balanced mix of about twenty high-ranking representatives of the Global South and North from politics, the private sector, academia, international organisations and civil society. The Commissioners will be named by two Co-Chairs.

    The Commission's work will be based on the following principles:

    1. Equality. Representatives from the Global South and North will jointly determine the Commission's agenda and engage in joint decision-making.
    2. Broad participation. Members will include representatives of international organisations, national and regional institutions, academia, the private sector, and civil society. Think tanks and research institutions will be invited to draw up studies and analyses to accompany the Commission's work.
    3. Open and transparent discussion. The Co-Chairs will facilitate an open, evidence-based debate that reflects the diversity of positions and interests.

    In order to ensure this, the Commission's regular meetings will be accompanied by parallel regional consultations in Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

    Co-Chairs

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    Olaf Scholz

    Olaf Scholz (born 14 June 1958) is a German lawyer and politician. A member of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD), he served as Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 2021 to 2025. Prior to that, he was Deputy Chancellor and Federal Minister of Finance from 2018 to 2021. Between 2011 and 2018, he served as First Mayor of the City of Hamburg. Between 2009 and 2019, he was deputy chairman of the SPD, and from 2007 to 2009 he held the office of Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. From 1998 to 2001 and from 2002 to 2011, he was a member of Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, winning the majority of votes in his constituency every time. Since 2021 he has again been a member of the Bundestag, representing the constituency of Potsdam.

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    Laura Chinchilla

    Laura Chinchilla (born 28 March 1959) is a political scientist with a major in public policy. She earned her bachelor's degree from the School of Political Science at the University of Costa Rica and a master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University. She served as the President of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014. Previously, she held the positions of Vice President (2006-2008), Minister of Justice (2006-2008), Minister of Public Security (1996-1998), and member of Congress, where she chaired the Special Commission on Drug Trafficking and Security (2002-2006).

    The Commission will start its work in mid-2026. It will hold regular meetings and regional consultations over the following two years. The Commission will also take part in major international events, including the Hamburg Sustainability Conference and the UN SDG Summit.

    The Commission is expected to present its first interim outcomes in 2027 – in the context of the SDG Summit, also marking the 50th anniversary of the first North-South Commission.

    It will present a detailed final report at the end of 2028.

    Historical background Legacy of the Independent Commission on International Development Issues
    (“Brandt Commission” 1977-83)

    Foto of two men shaking hands.

    The Independent Commission on International Development Issues chaired by former German Chancellor Willy Brandt, also known as “North-South Commission”, which still enjoys international recognition, began to operate in 1977. Its purpose was to analyse the growing economic and social inequalities between the countries of the Global North and South and to provide new ideas and impetus for international cooperation.

    It published two path-breaking reports. In 1980, it presented “North-South: A Programme for Survival”. This was followed by “Common Crisis: North-South Cooperation for World Recovery” in 1983. The work of that Commission still has a defining influence on international development policy to this day. The new North-South Commission on Development will make a point of building on that legacy, even if the global environment has changed fundamentally since that time.