September 2021 will mark precisely 60 years since the group of Western industrialised nations formed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 1961, the OECD also established its Development Assistance Committee to coordinate its members’ development aid (as it was generally known at the time). This autumn, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will also commemorate its 60th anniversary.

by Gerhard Wahlers

A Cornerstone for Increasing the Strategic Effectiveness of Germany’s Development Cooperation?

German development cooperation finds itself faced with fresh challenges due to the increasingly complex requirements for sustainable development and shifts in the international donor landscape. In light of this, can the ­­BMZ 2030 reform strategy enhance its effectiveness? And what strategic dimensions are needed to ensure the future viability of German development cooperation?

by Veronika Ertl

A Plea for the Strategic Use of Monitoring and Evaluation

Discussions about monitoring and evaluation in development cooperation still tend to revolve around justifying the use of funds – often taxpayers’ money – and proving their effectiveness. Of course, this is right and important, but monitoring and evaluation harbour the potential to do more. The goal must be a change in attitude, moving away from being “guardians of the indicators” to becoming “friends and helpers”.

by Angelika Klein, Lukas Kupfernagel

The One Health Concept in ­International Development Cooperation

The ­COVID-19 pandemic has turned the spotlight on how global health risks can arise from interactions between humans, animals, and the environment. Consolidating the One Health approach is vital if we are to adequately counter this threat. The approach focuses on these interdependencies to reduce the resulting health risks. Governments and multi­lateral organisations also increasingly incorporate this approach into their development strategies.

by Martina Kaiser

The EU’s Attempt to Align Democratic Norms and ­Foreign Policy Priorities in Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict

Deteriorating levels of democracy worldwide are once again intensifying calls for increased political conditionality in European Union development policy. Against the background of violent conflicts and human rights abuses in Ethiopia, the EU’s diplomatic approach to tackle democratic backsliding is being put to the test. Criteria for financial support and suspension must be better communicated to send coherent signals to both recipient countries and domestic audiences alike.

by Carolin Löprich

A Focus on Strategic Power and Exporting Political Systems?

As the world shifts into a new geopolitical phase, Africa is gaining importance – as a trading partner and investment destination, a contender in addressing global challenges, but also as an arena for external actors to flex their military and strategic muscles. These actors include China, Russia, and Turkey, three authoritarian regimes with regional and great power ambitions. From a European perspective, their activities in Africa are viewed with scepticism and concern. Not only because they are economic competitors, but because they also embody competing values and social models.

by Mathias Kamp

How Taiwan Takes Responsibility in the Shadow of the International Community

Although diplomatically recognised by scarcely more than a dozen countries, Taiwan still pursues an active, values-based foreign and development policy. Taipei deliberately counters Beijing’s hard power with its “warm power”. Whether it is health, the economy or disaster management, creativity and innovation are the common threads that run through Taiwan’s approach to development cooperation.

by David Merkle

On the Development Policy of the Gulf States: Motives, Priorities, and the Potential for Collaboration

It is many years since the Gulf states were the “newcomers” to development policy. However, their motives and approach to development assistance differ from those of their Western counterparts. Despite this, there are areas of common interest that make it possible to collaborate with the “giants” of the Gulf.

by Fabian Blumberg

Five Years of the Colombian Peace Agreement

2021 marks the fifth anniversary of the historic peace agreement between the Colombian government and the guerrilla organisation Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (­FARC). The international headlines focus on the delays and setbacks obstructing the path to a stable, lasting peace. However, despite the widespread scepticism fuelled by these ongoing difficulties, positive steps are being taken to increasingly consolidate the peace process and make it irreversible. Colombia deserves the solidarity and support of its international partners as it continues this journey.

by Stefan Reith

A Survey of Public Opinion in the Middle East and North Africa

Ten years after the start of the uprisings that swept through the Arab world, the region’s socio-economic disparities remain a key challenge. Trust in political parties and parliaments is low, but civil society organisations are highly respected. A proper civil society of engaged citizens seems to be emerging in many countries. While traditional external actors, such as the US and France, are losing influence in the region, China, Turkey, and Russia are assuming a more important role. Meanwhile, Germany enjoys high standing in the region.

by Thomas Volk, Malte Gasseling