The four guiding principles of German development policy
Germany wants to help to:
- reduce poverty worldwide
- protect the natural environment
- build peace and realise democracy, and
- promote equitable forms of globalisation.
Germany’s guiding vision here is one of globally sustainable development expressing itself in economic efficiency, social justice, ecological sustainability and political stability.
These four guiding principles of German development policy are interlinked, mutually reinforcing and mutually limiting, and they are closely related to all the Millennium Development Goals.
Reducing poverty worldwide
Poverty reduction is the overarching task of German development policy. Germany’s activities in the field of poverty reduction are based on an extended notion of poverty, according to which poverty is not defined solely by low income, but is a complex state of life, characterised by need, vulnerability, injustice and a lack of prospects. For the individual this means few opportunities and little possibility to participate in political, social and economic life. It also means higher risks because of a lack of social security systems, violations of human dignity and human rights, and limited access to education, private property and resources such as water and land.
Just as the causes of poverty are many and varied, so too are the measures undertaken by German development cooperation to reduce it. One example is the leading role played by Germany in advocating debt cancellation for the poorest nations on earth. On the initiative of the German government, the initiative to reduce the debt burden on highly indebted poor countries was extended in 1999 at the summit meeting in Cologne, becoming the enhanced HIPC initiative or HIPC II.
Protecting the natural environment
With its development policy, the German government aims to help protect the environment and preserve the natural resource base on which all human life depends. It adopts a holistic and sustainable approach: the environment and natural resources are to be preserved for the generations to come, while at the same time giving today's generation the opportunity to benefit from progress
One example of how this strategy is realised is Germany's commitment to renewable energies and to boosting energy efficiency in developing countries. This is an important contribution to achieving sustainable use of energy at international level, to protecting the global climate and to moving towards energy supplies that are less dependent on oil. The German government is also working in depth with partner countries to preserve biodiversity, protect tropical forests and secure supplies of safe drinking water.
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Water is life
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Building peace and realising democracy
German development policy is global structural and peace policy. It is part of a preventive strategy against violence, war and terrorism. The aim of German development policy is to use its resources for the purpose of averting violent conflicts and wars. Just over one fifth of German bilateral development cooperation is delivered in conflict environments, to help in building peace. This policy is based on an understanding of security that comprises political, economic, ecological and social stability. This is because, in the long term, there can only be peace if human rights are respected, if poverty is reduced, if economic and social injustices are removed, and if the natural environment is preserved as the vital foundation for all life on earth.
To build peace it is important to foster democracy and the rule of law. These are also priority areas of German development cooperation, because along with good governance they are the prerequisite for successful development and thus also for peace.
Since the Millennium Summit Germany has increased its funds to promote good governance threefold and its engagement in this area continues to grow. It is not just a matter of cooperating with development-oriented partner countries: even in situations of fragile statehood and poor governance, development policy engagement is meaningful and necessary to support transition processes
Promoting equitable forms of globalisation
The aim of German development policy is to help shape globalisation so that social, ecological and hu
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man needs are taken into account, ensuring that no region or population group is excluded or marginalised. This is not a goal that Germany can achieve on its own, which is why the Federal Republic supports the new global partnership between industrialised and developing countries. This mirrors Germany's understanding of development policy as a joint task for the international community. A global partnership of this kind can create the conditions needed if all people are to be able to make use of the opportunities offered by globalisation
Germany therefore advocates strengthening the influence of the developing countries within international organisations such as the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund. It is also endeavouring to ensure that working conditions around the globe are socially acceptable and fair. It is a staunch supporter of the Global Compact, a worldwide alliance of business and politics launched by the then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 1999. Germany’s understanding of global partnership also involves the inclusion of civil society and the private sector. For German development policy, operating within the global partnership means bringing together the specific competences, skills and experience of the different players.
© BMZ
