Development policy

Since October 2010, the responsibility for the “One-World”-policy in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has been in the hands of the State Chancellery section of the Ministry for Federal, Europe and International Affairs. In December 2012, the Cabinet passed on a new „One-World”-Strategy, through which North Rhine-Westphalia underlines its global responsibility as the most populous federal state in Germany. The new “One-World”-Strategy functions as the basis for the future development work in North Rhine-Westphalia and for its development cooperation with partners in countries of the South. The strategy states the six strategic fields of action of the development contribution of North Rhine-Westphalia: education and youth; science and research; climate protection; economy; Good Governance and administrative action; participation of the civil society. Basic principles of the North Rhine-Westphalian involvement are global justice, sustainability, inter-departmental coherence and concentration.

The federal state of Hesse is self-conscious of the challenges of globalization. The federal state government (Landesregierung) supports the numerous actors of the civil society in their international relations and helps whenever its intervention as facilitator is necessary in order to provide access for private measures and programs.

Through development cooperation, Hesse contributes to the promotion of trade and economic development as well as to ensuring the protection of human rights and the promotion of peace and understanding among nations. This way, Hesse contributes to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Economic development is a necessary condition in order to eliminate poverty. Strengthening the private sector helps enabling economic growth, employment, leads to employee qualification and generates income. Hence, Hesse’s development cooperation concentrates on projects aiming at economic growth and the integration of its partners into the global market. This represents also a means of improving the conditions in developing countries for foreign private investments. To achieve these purposes the government of Hesse works close together with associations and organizations active in the field of development cooperation, notably with the Network for Development Policy in Hesse (Entwicklungspolitisches Netzwerk Hessen) and with local actors of the economy.

Hesse supports above all educational projects as well as projects facilitating the transfer of know-how and the strengthening of market-oriented economies – from self-help projects to qualification projects in international marketing.

These measures also include the promotion of Fair Trade. On the one hand, Fair Trade is a means of supporting producers in developing countries; on the other hand, it provides opportunities for action to citizens who, in their role as consumers, wish to contribute to a fair shaping of globalisation.

The federal state of Hesse supports development education and information, on globalisation issues and education for sustainable development, following the motto „shared responsibility in thinking and acting“. This enhances the understanding of global inter-dependencies and encourages cooperation with partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Lower Saxony is committed to a range of activities in Sub-Saharan Africa and thus assumes responsibility for sustainable global development. The aim is to learn as much as possible from and with one another in the context of a global partnership and responsibility with
cosmopolitanism and cross-cultural competence.

Lower Saxony focuses on three priority areas of development cooperation:

1. Partnership with the Eastern Cape (South Africa) since 1995
2. Project cooperation with Tanzania since 2010
3. Development educational and information work

As part of the development policy information and educational work within Lower Saxony, the State Chancellery promotes the Association Development Policy Lower Saxony (Verband Entwicklungspolitik Niedersachsen e.V. - VEN). The VEN is the network of development
NGOs, initiatives and so-called One-World-Shops (Weltläden). The main focus of the VEN is the development educational and information work. The funds are directed to the implementation of „IBQ - projects“ (information, education and skills) of NGOs in Lower Saxony in the field of development cooperation.

Since 2014 Lower Saxony has been co-financing the nationwide Promoter-Program (Promotorenprogramm). The aim is to raise awareness on development issues in Lower Saxony. The continuation of the program up to 2018 has been decided upon in 2015 and the financial means are guaranteed.

As part of a special program for humanitarian aid, Lower Saxony has decided to take in 70 traumatized women and children from northern Iraq in 2015. They are victims of extreme violence by fighters of the terrorist organization Islamic State, whom Lower Saxony is going to ensure a safe stay over the next two years. The regional government has decided to allocate 1.1 million euros in 2015 and 6.8 million euros for the following years for the reception, accommodation and health care of these women and children.

2016 is planned to focus on the implementation and consolidation of the new Development Policy Guidelines and their linking with the Strategy for Sustainability of Lower Saxony, which is currently under revision. The intensified cooperation with development policy actors within the civil society - a positive effect of the process of drafting the guidelines - will be continued by, for example, giving these organizations an active part in developing the implementation strategy.

Furthermore, Lower Saxony participates in the newly established Bund-Länder-Program. With the involvement of GIZ’s office in Lower Saxony (Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit) project opportunities are currently being examined and planned to be approved
by the end of January 2016.

Development cooperation in the Free State of Bavaria aims at making the greatest possible contribution to the worldwide fight against poverty and to sustainable and peaceful development, as well as to international understanding. The state wants to improve the living conditions of people in developing and emerging countries and strengthen Good Governance. All this is based on the Guidelines of Development Policy Cooperation of the Free State of Bavaria which were approved on April 30th 2013 by the Government of Bavaria.

Bavaria is committed to many aspects of development cooperation and covers a lot of different topics, including Good Governance, policy and institutional consulting, sustainable economic development, climate protection, environment and energy, scientific and technological cooperation, food security and rural areas, city development and building industry as well as culture, migration and development.

The cooperation with selected countries is based on mutual partnership, it strengthens the own responsibility of the partner countries, it offers aid for self-help and ensures subsidiary and observance of international conventions and standards.

The cultivation and development of relations with partner regions of the Free State of Bavaria play a special role thanks to a high level of mutual interest for cooperation. Besides these selected partner countries, the Free State of Bavaria is open to cooperation programs with other countries.

Furthermore, the Free State of Bavaria intends to achieve a better understanding among the local population of the problems developing and emerging countries are facing, to demonstrate global connections and interdependencies as well as to contribute to sustainable development worldwide. This is why international activities are complemented by domestic activities such as development education and information in schools and extra-curricular activities, network building and cooperation with non-governmental organisations in the
“One-World” sector.

Within the Bavarian State Government, the Bavarian State Chancellery is the coordinator of development policy and, in the case of inter-departmental issues, it has the leading role. The respective government departments carry out measures on their own responsibility.

Think globally, act locally: This is the goal that Berlin’s Office for Development Cooperation (Landesstelle für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit des Landes Berlin - LEZ) aims to live up to through a variety of activities. Over 100 embassies, numerous international associations and political foundations as well as over 300 development actors make Berlin to a centre of multifaceted international knowledge and of outstanding worldwide contact and communication opportunities.

The LEZ and Berlin’s Senate are supported in their work by the Advisory Board for Development Cooperation (Beirat für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit), a committee of experts in development policy. The management of project funding for Berlin’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is taken over by the Foundation North-South Bridges (Stiftung Nord-Süd Brücken - SNSB) on behalf of the LEZ. Civic engagement also makes an important contribution to Berlin‘s development cooperation and is largely represented and supported
through Berlin’s Development Cooperation Council (Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag – BER). BER is an important reference point for NGOs and initiates discussion processes with and within the civil society.

In June 2012, the Berlin Senate adopted the new Development Policy Guidelines. Hereby competence fields were established on which Berlin focuses its development policy. These include: development educational and information work, maintaining town partnerships,
training of specialists and managers on an international scale as well as exercising its network function as the federal capital. The new Guidelines stand for Berlin’s decision to modernize its development cooperation work. They recognize the need for a worldwide development of all states and supersede the idea of a one-sided development policy of giving and receiving. This is to be pursued through equitable international policies which equally take into consideration the responsibility towards economic weaker countries.

The Guidelines point to the inter-dependency between development cooperation and international and inter-cultural cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, education, science, public sector and migration.

Within the field of development cooperation, Berlin dedicates special attention to the development of skills in Global Learning, i.e. in understanding global inter-dependencies as well as to the promotion of Fair Trade and fair procurement. Berlin sees the main task of its commitment therefore in development education. Here, the LEZ is supported by the Development Education and Information Centre (Entwicklungspolitisches Bildungs- und Informationszentrum e.V. - EPIZ) as well as by the Foundation North-South Bridges (SNSB). By conveying knowledge about foreign cultures and countries and clarifying the causes of negative developments in industrialized and developing countries the reputation of Berlin as a cosmopolitan and tolerant city gets consolidated.

The large number of refugees and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals create new challenges for Berlin. As a contribution to Berlin’s refugee policy, the LEZ will deal with the areas of migration, integration and welcoming culture and hence implement one of the guiding principles of the Development Policy Guidelines. To implement the Sustainable Development Goals the LEZ will develop and support initiatives.

Organizations such as the GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Engagement Global, German Institute for Development (Deutsches Institut für Entwicklung – DIE), Berlin’s Association for International Cooperation (Berliner Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit mbH – BGZ), Seminar for Rural Development (Seminar für ländliche Entwicklung – SLE) are important partners of Berlin’s development policy. Also, close cooperation takes place with the ASA-Programme as well as the Alumni programme of the Technical
University of Berlin. Joint events are organized within forums for international exchange of experiences.

On the initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung – BMZ) the federal states have initiated a “Promoter”- Program (Promotor/innen-Programm). The One-World-Promoters work within development organizations and initiatives. These experts promote global responsible thinking and acting and mobilize for more commitment to issues of sustainable development. Berlin’s Promoter-Program is coordinated by Berlin’s Development
Cooperation Council (BER) and managed by the Foundation North-South Bridges (SNSB). Currently, eight Promoters are working in the following fields of action: strengthening civic engagement, fair and sustainable economy, decolonization and anti-racism, Global
Learning, climate and resource justice as well as municipal development cooperation.

The LEZ supports a variety of NGOs developmental projects in the area of development education and information work as well as school and town partnership projects. The support of NGOs particularly enables the LEZ to shape and encourage a wide range of development education and volunteer work.

The development support of Berlin’s NGOs was very positively evaluated in 2010. To further promote their work and to gain the interest of more citizens in development policy areas, the LEZ is supporting the creation of a One World Centre (Eine-Welt-Zentrum). The project aims to become a key development site in Berlin.

In addition to national initiatives, the LEZ also promotes European projects. Between 2013 and 2015, the LEZ carried out a follow-up project of the Europe Aid award-winning „Awareness for Fairness“, which had aimed to improve the quality of Global Learning and anchor the concept in the educational landscape of the EU. The program intends to anchor developmental subjects more in school and non-school curricula as well as in teaching practices.

The implementation of the project “Global Fairness” serves LEZ’s policy objectives in development cooperation in the subject area Global Learning and strengthens Berlin’s town partnership with Prague. In the long term, the purpose is to achieve more awareness of global fairness issues and ultimately changes in consumer behavior.

In collaboration with European partners and the EPIZ e.V., Berlin promotes the cooperation of committed stakeholders and the establishment and improvement of networks in the field of sustainable development and good governance. With Berlin as lead partner and in cooperation with BGZ and EPIZ e.V., the project TriNet Global – “Local Authorities, Business Sector and Universities as Agents for Change” has been successfully implemented. The exchange of best practice and the innovative implementation of projects are supposed to strengthen sustainable development and the involvement of cities, industry and universities. Berlin’s focus within these projects were discussions and workshops on city infrastructure and its improvement on a global scale, promoting companies participation in international activities as well as the development and pilot-like implementation of learning modules for Global Learning in universities. As part of the Asia-Pacific Weeks 2015 and TriNet Global, new approaches and strategies for the implementation of Innovation Labs as a multi-stakeholder approach to development cooperation were worked on by participants in an interactive workshop.

The stipulations of the constitution of Brandenburg serve as the framework of and as mandate for international cooperation, peace policy and human rights. Within the constitution, Brandenburg commits to an equal, legally binding and responsible cooperation with foreign partners in accordance with a “One-World”-policy.

Since development policy is a cross-sectional task, the government of Brandenburg relies on regional committed groups and non-governmental organizations as well as on the Association of Development NGOs in Brandenburg (Verbund entwicklungspolitischer Nichtregierungsorganisationen in Brandenburg – VENROB).

The aim of the cooperation is to raise public awareness about problems of sustainable development, to inform about global interdependencies and to point out necessary alternatives. A further aim is to foster a better understanding of Global North-South challenges and mutual tolerance. To achieve these purposes seminars, lecture series, concerts, exhibitions and publications are organized.

The responsible Ministry of Justice, Europe and Consumer Protection in Brandenburg takes on a coordinating role. On 31 May 2012, the „Development Policy Guidelines for Brandenburg“ (Entwicklungspolitische Leitlinien der Landesregierung) were agreed upon after a fruitful consultation process with the actors of Brandenburg’s development policy.

These guidelines contain:

• the commitment of the federal state government to development policy and its integration into a general context of sustainable development
• the constitutional regulations
• the nationwide integration
• the Brandenburg-specific implementation with concrete priority-setting
• the creation of a transparent monitoring system, which should ensure that the guidelines are up-to-date in the long run
• the Round Table for Development Policy Brandenburg (Round Table Entwicklungspolitik Brandenburg), which should help to implement a process of committed involvement, in order to firmly embed topics related to development policy into all policies of the federal state.

The government of Brandenburg considers the measures adopted through the „Development Policy Guidelines“ to be a specific contribution of Brandenburg to the recent resolutions of the Minister Presidents of the federal states and therefore to the concrete implementation of the joint responsibility regarding development policy of the German Federal Government, the federal states and BRANDENBURGthe municipalities.

The responsible Committee for European Affairs and Development Policy (Fachausschuss für Europa- und Entwicklungspolitik) within the state government of Brandenburg regularly invites non-governmental organizations and ministries for public discussions.

Traditionally, many strong, successful and efficient organizations, networks and initiatives are active in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. They are the main actors of development work. Therefore, the state development policy is characterized by the participation of the civil society. In February 2013, the state government approved the new Development Policy Guidelines (Entwicklungspolitische Leitlinien), which were developed through a participatory process that was at the time unique throughout Germany. Through the initiative “world:citizens consulted!” (Welt:Bürger gefragt!), more than 1,500 citizens from all over Baden-Württemberg as well as 120 organizations and associations actively helped defining these guidelines.

Even within the adoption of the Development Policy Guidelines the developing political dialogue is still undergoing. Every year citizens of Baden-Württemberg come together to the Annual Development Policy Conference to review the implementation of the Guidelines and work on new policy proposals. Furthermore, the Council for Development Cooperation (Rat für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit), which brings together experts from significant developmentally active networks, advises the government in development issues.

Development policy in Baden-Württemberg is especially challenging for the classic political core areas of the federal states: For example it concerns education policy when trying to incorporate Global Learning and Global Studying into the curricula of schools and universities, research efforts and university strategies for internationalization. It also relates to economic policy in the areas of public procurement, the promotion of foreign trade and Fair Trade, as well as environmental policy focusing on questions of ecological sustainability.

In Baden-Württemberg, development policy is a joint task that is primarily supported by the efficient and professional commitment of its civil society. The government of Baden-Württemberg promotes this commitment but does not wish to replace it. The federal state merely provides a reliable framework for advancing development policy and supporting its participants. The two foundations Development Co-operation Foundation (Stiftung Entwicklungszusammenarbeit) and Baden-Württemberg Foundation (Baden-Württemberg Stiftung) were established by the federal state of Baden-Württemberg to pro-mote, advice and support private and municipal initiatives. The Of-fice for Development Co-operation (Landesstelle für Entwicklungszu-sammenarbeit) in the State Ministry (Staatsministerium) is available to all citizens, civil society organizations, ministries, municipalities and to the Parliament of Baden-Württemberg (Landtag) as direct and competent governmental partner. The federal state supports civic initiatives in the field of development policy by providing funds.

Since 2013, together with the Federal Government, Baden-Württemberg promotes the One-World-Promoters program (Eine-Welt-Promotoren-Programm). Eleven full-time positions within host organizations of the civil society have already been created in order to support the valuable work of organizations, networks and initiatives in Baden-Württemberg. After the expiration of its pilot phase in 2015, Baden-Württemberg will continue to finance the program in 2017.

Every year, the “Fair Trade” exhibition (Messe FAIR HANDELN) provides a platform for the exchange of ideas, networking and joint initiatives to all active actors in Baden-Württemberg. With over 150 exhibitors, the fair has become a flagship project of the Fair Trade movement with impact far beyond Baden-Württemberg.

Description of the organization:

The Ministry of Education and Culture in Saarland is responsible for the topic of development cooperation. The goal is to work closely with actors from civil society and the municipal level who are active in development policy. Together with these partners, the Saarland assumes global responsibility. This includes fostering partnerships with countries and regions of the global South and promoting development policy information and education as well as civic engagement for the One World.

Goals and priorities

Since development cooperation is above all a task for society as a whole, the successful work of private initiatives, the churches and other non-governmental organizations in particular receives financial and non-material support. Saarland organizations working in and for South-North partnerships network with each other. Together, the state government and civil society want to make a concrete contribution to fighting poverty worldwide, securing peace, realizing democracy and making globalization fairer.

Particular importance is attached to the open and cooperative exchange of all actors in development policy work, both in global partnerships and in information and education work. In order to promote this exchange, the Ministry of Education and Culture invites to the open forum on development cooperation twice a year.

The Saarland Development Cooperation Guidelines were adopted by the Saarland Parliament in March 2017 and are the result of a development process with the active participation of civil society and Saarland non-governmental organizations. They represent the framework of Saarland's development cooperation and are intended to strengthen existing structures, initiatives and activities. They serve as orientation and form the basis for Saarland's future development policy relevant engagement.

The fields of action of Saarland's development cooperation are:

- development policy information, advisory and educational work

- science, research and teaching

- international exchange

- economy, enterprises, public administrations and municipalities

- international trade and agricultural policy

- North-South partnerships/cooperations

- impact of European policy on countries of the global south

Since 2018, the State Coordination Office for Education for Sustainable Development has been the key position for the structural anchoring of Education for Sustainable Development in school education. With the state coordination office, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is systematically and structurally anchored in the education sector. In order to link global interrelationships and individual behavior, even schoolchildren are to be sensitized to sustainable development.

There are also far-reaching efforts in the area of fair trade/sustainable procurement. For example, with the decision of the Council of Ministers on May 2, 2023, fair trade coffee and another fair trade product - such as chocolate, tea or sugar - will be used in all houses of the state government from July 1, 2023. "If you want to have good working conditions in your own country, you cannot save on the price of coffee, cocoa or sugar at the expense of people in the global south. Therefore, in the future, there will be fair trade products in the areas of the ministers, the Prime Minister, but also in the hospitality of guests," explains Secretary of State for Education Jan Benedyczuk. With this decision, the state government has launched the "Fair Federal State" project. With this, Saarland will be the first federal state to submit an application for certification as a Fairtrade federal state in the fall of 2023. The certification is intended to structurally anchor Fair Trade in Saarland.

There are also far-reaching efforts in the area of fair trade/sustainable procurement. For example, with the decision of the Council of Ministers on May 2, 2023, fair trade coffee and another fair trade product - such as chocolate, tea or sugar - will be used in all houses of the state government from July 1, 2023. "If you want to have good working conditions in your own country, you cannot save on the price of coffee, cocoa or sugar at the expense of people in the global south. Therefore, in the future, there will be fair trade products in the areas of the ministers, the Prime Minister, but also in the hospitality of guests," explains Secretary of State for Education Jan Benedyczuk. With this decision, the state government has launched the "Fair Federal State" project. With this, Saarland will be the first federal state to submit an application for certification as a Fairtrade federal state in the fall of 2023. The certification is intended to structurally anchor Fair Trade in Saarland.

The application documents must be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Saarland by December 31 of the previous year at the latest for the budget year of the funding. For project funding within the framework of development cooperation, the guidelines of development cooperation of the Saarland apply as a content-related framework. The legal framework for funding is formed by the guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Culture for the granting of subsidies for the funding of projects within the framework of development cooperation, as amended from time to time.