German development policy set for a boost?

Germany's new Development Minister Svenja Schulze sees the fight against the climate crisis as her top priority. When she welcomed her staff via video link last week, she stressed that "the climate crisis and the structural change that comes with it are a priority for the entire government and, of course, by long tradition also for our ministry," Schulze said, vowing to develop and strengthen this area.

In the previous coalition government under Angela Merkel, Schulze headed the Environment Ministry, representing Germany at world climate summits. She launched the "climate protection package" — a host of measures aimed at making Germany climate-neutral by 2045. This means reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2 but also compensating for them by removing carbon from the atmosphere, or through offsetting measures, which typically involve supporting climate-oriented projects

In her role as development aid minister,  the Social Democrat politician now wants to utilize her international experience to cooperate better with the Global South. Germany is the world's second-largest donor country after the United States, and Schulze has a budget of more than €12 billion ($13.5 billion).

"I am delighted that there is now once again a woman at the helm of the Development Ministry," one of Schulze's predecessors, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, told DW. Like Schulze, Wieczorek-Zeul belongs to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). She was Germany's longest-serving development minister to date and held office from 1998 to 2009. Today, she advises the German government as a member of the Council for Sustainability.

Wieczorek-Zeul believes it is important that the Development Ministry remain an independent entity with more clout in policy decision-making: "There have always been suggestions to assign the Development Ministry to the Foreign Office, as is the case in Great Britain. But that would have been quite disastrous."

She believes it makes sense to focus on international climate protection as part of the fight against poverty in developing countries.

"Much of the discussion for the future will revolve around the question of how to compensate for damage and losses in developing countries caused by climate change," she explained. "That's fundamentally a developmental issue and all about poverty reduction."

Climate goals not yet on target

In welcoming her new employees, Schulze mentioned not only the climate crisis but also hunger, poverty, and migration. These are global mega-challenges that need to be tackled with even more commitment, she said: "We must all strive to make a good life possible for everyone in the world. That may sound overly emotional, but it is our aspiration."

The new government of SPD, Greens and the pro-free market Free Democrats (FDP) has vowed that at least 0.7% of Germany's gross national income will go toward development aid. The United Nations had already set this target for the world's wealthiest countries for 1975. Germany reached it last year. According to the new government, it should stay that way.

Force and energy

"We have heard that many times before. But reality turned out quite differently," said Martina Schaub, chairwoman of the board of VENRO, which represents 140 private and church development organizations in Germany.

But Schaub also sees Schulze spreading a spirit of optimism. At VENRO's general meeting on Tuesday of this week, the new minister announced "more vigor" for German development policy, Schaub told DW. "During her time as environment minister, it was noticeable that she can make her voice heard," says Schaub: "And she has definitely been able to push things through. Of course, we now expect her to do so with the same energy in her new job."

Setbacks due to COVID-19

But it is already foreseeable that the wrangling over budgets in the government is likely to get tougher in the coming years. To deal with the fallout of the COVID pandemic, the federal government has taken on €240 billion in new debt for this year alone.

"Financing is always a struggle," says Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul: "I know that from my own experience. It will come down to ensuring that sufficient budgetary resources are available for development cooperation."

The need is great, says the SPD politician, because COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic have caused many setbacks in developing countries. "For example, in terms of HIV/AIDS. We must help strengthen health systems in partner countries," Wieczorek-Zeul insists. "That is a core task of development cooperation."

Meeting a political challenge

One challenge to the ambitions of the new development aid minister could come from within the parliament. The far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to take over the chairship of the Development Committee, which discusses draft legislation, hears experts and visits development projects on the ground. The AfD rejects the concept of development aid in its current form and wants to put a clear focus on Germany's political and business interests while expecting poorer countries to be able to help themselves.

"Of course, we would find it intolerable if the AfD's attitude of sowing mistrust, strengthening prejudices, ignoring facts, were to affect the work of the committee," says Martina Schaub of VENRO.

She hopes that the new government will soon publish the guidelines for its development policy. Schaub would like to see all political decisions made along the lines of global sustainability goals — whether it be climate protection, preserving biodiversity, or fighting hunger, disease and poverty.

This article was translated from German.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing, to stay on top of developments as Germany enters the post-Merkel era.