children’s aid organization terre des hommes and development organizations Welthungerhilfe presented a devastating analysis of Germany’s development aid efforts in its annual report, “Kompass 2026,” in Berlin earlier this week.
“Failure of political support, significant declines in funding, and growing disregard for international humanitarian law are making it harder to reach people in need and reducing the effectiveness and credibility of humanitarian assistance,” the report said.
The budget of Germany’s Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and humanitarian aid is being cut every year from 2022. Overall, funding has been cut by a third. About €10 billion ($11 billion) remains for development assistance and €1 billion for humanitarian assistance. And there are preparations for further cuts in funding.
Both organizations believe that development policy – both in Germany and by the international community – has completely lost its way. But Welthungerhilfe head Mathias Moge said that conclusion should not be drawn. “What’s missing is a real strategy,” he said.
Mogay is not impressed by the reform plan presented by Development Minister Reem Albali Radovan in January. He argues that a political plan is only credible when it involves true partnership between equals – not mere rhetoric.
Terre des Hommes’ board spokesman Joshua Hoffert summed up his criticism in one sentence: “The reform of development policy must not become a mere administrative project led by Berlin.”
In their report, aid organizations have called for greater involvement of civil society actors from the so-called Global South.
“Young people in particular should be included in the entire process of formulating, implementing and evaluating development policy strategies,” the report said. The report emphasizes that these perspectives and expertise are important for the legitimacy, effectiveness and sustainability of political decisions.
Military spending is increasing everywhere
Germany’s drastic cuts in development assistance are part of a global trend coinciding with an increasing number of wars and crises. Almost all countries are responding in the same way: with continued high investments in the military and deep cuts in global development policy and humanitarian aid.
However, the organizations believe that Germany is compromising its credibility and reliability with significant aid cuts. They are calling on the federal government to better integrate development cooperation, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, and to secure them through multi-year funding.
The report includes several recommendations. “The German government should use diplomatic channels to safeguard humanitarian principles and prevent the political instrumentalization of humanitarian assistance. In addition, it should advocate more effectively for compliance with international humanitarian law,” the report said.
This includes systematically addressing violations of international law in UN fora and demanding humanitarian access to crisis areas.
North-South Commission wants to ‘expand and strengthen the global network’
The new North-South Commission could be a ray of hope for aid organizations.
The Commission will consist of approximately 20 experts from the Global South and Global North representing politics, academia, the private sector, labor unions, civil society and international organisations.
The kickoff event will take place on June 30 in Hamburg.
Development Minister Albaly Radovan said, “The global order is shifting toward more multipolar centers of power.” “If Germany wants to continue shaping the global agenda in the future, we need stable partnerships with the countries of the Global South.”
According to Albaly Radovan, the Commission will “further strengthen our partnerships with the countries of the Global South and expand and strengthen the global network.”
The opposition Left Party in the German Bundestag has taken a more critical approach towards the North-South Commission.
Its spokesperson for global justice, Charlotte Newhauser, considers it to be nothing more than an empty gesture.
“While the federal government, under the guise of promoting fair participation, is mostly interested in gaining access to new markets, cheap labor and raw materials, German funding for hunger relief, hospitals, schools and social security systems in the global South is being cut on a historic scale,” she said.
This article was originally written in German.