Germany's development aid strategy under fire
Days ahead of the launch of the North-South Commission, development aid organizations have urged the German government to reverse billions in cuts to development aid
Days ahead of the launch of the North-South Commission, development aid organizations have urged the German government to reverse billions in cuts to development aid. The children's aid organization Terre des Hommes and the development organization Welthungerhilfe presented their devastating analysis of Germany's development aid efforts in their annual report, "Kompass 2026," in Berlin earlier this week. "A failure of political support, a drastic decline in funding and a growing disregard for international humanitarian law are making it harder to reach people in need and are undermining the effectiveness and reliability of humanitarian aid," the report reads. The budgets of Germany's Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and for humanitarian aid have been cut every year since 2022. All in all, funding has been slashed by a third. What remains is about €10 billion ($11 billion) for development aid and €1 billion for humanitarian aid. And funding is set to be cut even further. Joshua Hofert (left) and Mathias Mogge presented the 'Kompass 2026' report on development aid in Berlin on Wednesday Image: Marcel Fürstenau/DW The two organizations seem to suggest that development policy — both that of Germany and the international community — has completely lost its way.
But Mathias Mogge, head of Welthungerhilfe, said that's not what should be concluded. "What's missing is a real strategy," he said. Mogge is not impressed with the reform plan presented by Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan in January. He argues that a political plan is only credible if it involves true partnerships between equals — not just rhetoric. Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes, summed up his criticism in a single sentence: "The reform of development policy must not become a mere administrative project led by Berlin." In their report, the aid organizations have called for greater involvement of civil society actors from the so-called Global South. "Young people, in particular, must be involved throughout the process of formulating, implementing and evaluating development policy strategies," the report said, emphasizing that these perspectives and expertise are crucial to the legitimacy, effectiveness and sustainability of political decisions. Military spending on the rise everywhere Germany's massive cuts to development aid 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 ever-higher investments in the military and drastic cuts to global development policy and humanitarian aid.
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