Klingebiel, S ephan
Resea ch Repo
"Open s a egic au onomy": An assessmen and
posi ioning o Ge man de elopmen policy
IDOS Policy B ie , No. 27/2024
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Ge man Ins i u e o De elopmen and Sus ainabili y (IDOS), Bonn
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Klingebiel, S ephan (2024) : "Open s a egic au onomy": An assessmen and
posi ioning o Ge man de elopmen policy, IDOS Policy B ie , No. 27/2024, Ge man Ins i u e o
De elopmen and Sus ainabili y (IDOS), Bonn,
h ps://doi.o g/10.23661/ipb27.2024
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/300633
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“Open S a egic Au onomy”: An
Assessmen and Posi ioning o
Ge man De elopmen Policy
S ephan Klingebiel
Summa y
This policy b ie p o ides an o e iew and
assessmen s o deba es on de elopmen policy. In
iew o changing in e na ional con ex s, i add esses
he need o eo ien Ge man de elopmen policy in
he long e m and ini ia e e o ms. Fi e
ecommenda ions o decision-make s a e
o mula ed:
1. “Open s a egic au onomy” o de elopmen
policy: De elopmen policy should play an
independen and complemen a y ole when
suppo ing pa ne s om he Global Sou h and
p o iding global public goods. “Open s a egic
au onomy” could in eg a e di e en policy a eas
and ac o s, bu a he same ime main ain a ce ain
deg ee o au onomy in o de o ac e ec i ely.
2. Rede ining goals: De elopmen policy is o en
seen as pu ely al uis ic and humani a ian, bu i
should a he be unde s ood as a so powe
ins umen . Such an unde s anding could help o
b eak away om he es ic i e discou se on
alues and in e es s.
3. In e ace managemen and minis e ial
cus omisa ion: The e a e deba es abou
coo dina ion be ween minis ies and whe he an
independen de elopmen minis y (BMZ) is
necessa y. Mo e e ec i e in e ace managemen
and he bundling o humani a ian aid and
de elopmen coope a ion could inc ease
e iciency and e ec i eness. The cu en coali ion
ag eemen p o ides o g ea e coo dina ion o
de elopmen policy unds, bu p og ess so a has
been limi ed. In p inciple, he e a e easons in
a ou o an independen de elopmen policy
depa men in Ge many.
4. S a egic o ien a ion du ing implemen a ion:
Policy-based inancing should play a g ea e ole
in o de o p o ide mo e comp ehensi e suppo
o e o ms and ans o ma ions. I is ad isable o
swi ch om supply-o ien a ed o demand-
o ien a ed de elopmen coope a ion. By c i ically
sc u inising ied se ices, compe i ion and choice
o pa ne coun ies can be s eng hened. As is
shown by he Jus Ene gy T ansi ion
Pa ne ships and he Eu opean Global Ga eway
Ini ia i e, mo e new solu ions a e needed.
5. Dealing wi h populis and igh -wing
na ionalis mo emen s: De elopmen policy is
inc easingly unde a ack om igh -wing and
populis mo emen s. These a acks a e in ended
o unde mine social consensus. In esponse,
hese a acks can be igno ed o he bogus
a gumen s can be in alida ed. In o de o coun e
he changed si ua ion, he democ a ic pa ies in
he Ge man Bundes ag should s i e o a new
c oss-pa y consensus on de elopmen policy.
To summa ise, i is necessa y o ocus less on he
populis p ojec - ela ed deba es. Wha is needed is a
mo e s a egic and long- e m pe spec i e on
de elopmen policy ha sys ema ically in eg a es
a ious poli ical and social in e es s and o e s he
p ospec o lexible and pa ne ship-based
implemen a ion.
IDOS POLICY BRIEF
27/2024
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
2
In oduc ion
This policy b ie p o ides an o e iew and
assessmen s o deba es on de elopmen policy.
Wi h a ocus on Ge many, ongoing in e na ional
discussions a e also aken in o accoun . This is
done selec i ely and delibe a ely highligh s
indi idual aspec s – no all ele an opics a e
gi en space.
In ecen mon hs, se e al igge s in Ge man
poli ics ha e led o li ely deba es on de elopmen
policy. I has been widely discussed whe he
indi idual p ojec s (a no able example: “Cycle
pa hs in Pe u”) a e necessa y and e ec i e. The
p essu e o make sa ings in he Ge man ede al
budge is cu en ly gi ing ise o discussions.
S uc u al issues, howe e , ecei e compa a i ely
li le a en ion: Wha is he ole o de elopmen
policy oday and in he u u e? Wha will he
changes look like in he coming yea s? Wha
challenges does Ge man de elopmen policy
ace? Some indica ions a e o mula ed below.
I is a gued he e ha de elopmen policy makes
and should make an independen con ibu ion o
he managemen o cen al challenges. The
concep o “open s a egic au onomy” is based
on posi ioning deba es in he Eu opean Union
(EU). I can be help ul on he one hand o open up
pe spec i es o di e en policy a eas in
de elopmen policy, bu on he o he hand also o
main ain a ce ain au onomy in o de o ac
success ully in his policy ield.
T ends in pa ne coun ies
The changes in de elopmen policy a e eac ions
o dynamics in pa ne coun ies, changing oles o
ac o s in he Global Sou h and uphea als in global
poli ics.
1. On a e age, li ing condi ions o de eloping
coun ies and hei popula ions ha e imp o ed
in ecen decades. The Human De elopmen
Index (HDI) is a good indica o o his. The HDI
was in oduced in he Human De elopmen
Repo in 1990 and goes beyond simply
measu ing he economic s eng h o coun ies.
On a e age, he global HDI alue and he HDI
alue o de eloping coun ies ha e imp o ed.
Ne e heless, he e a e excep ions. On he
one hand, hese a e due o he Co id
pandemic, and on he o he hand due o he
egional and global impac o Russian
agg ession in Uk aine – such as e ec s on ood
and ene gy p ices, e c. In addi ion, he e a e
indi idual coun ies – such as he Cen al
A ican Republic, Sudan and he Democ a ic
Republic o he Congo – whe e he e has been
li le o no long- e m p og ess. This applies in
pa icula o agile coun ies.
Despi e a e age imp o emen s in li ing
condi ions, he e a e s ill many s uc u al and
acu e challenges o many de eloping
coun ies. Fo example, he eno mous bu dens
o ecen yea s due o he ex e nal deb o
nume ous coun ies (such as Malawi and
Zambia), clima e- ela ed – o en undamen al –
socio-economic c ises (such as Tu alu) and
inequali y wi hin coun ies (such as
Mozambique and Colombia).
2. O e a long pe iod o ime, coun ies ha we e
p e iously ca ego ised as de eloping coun ies
ha e been able o g adua e. They a e no
longe coun ed as de eloping coun ies in mos
in e na ional s a is ics. The DAC (De elopmen
Assis ance Commi ee) o he OECD
(O ganisa ion o Economic Co-ope a ion and
De elopmen ) egula ly e iews he lis o
coun ies ha can ecei e ODA (O icial
De elopmen Assis ance). Coun ies ha
mo e up in o he high-income g oup a e
emo ed om he lis . This p ocess is known
as g adua ion. Sou h Ko ea (un il 2010) and
Chile (un il 2018), o example, we e p e iously
ODA ecipien coun ies.
An impo an s age will be eached wi h he
g adua ion o China. Acco ding o he DAC
ules, China will p obably no longe coun as a
de eloping coun y in Sep embe 2029. The
equi emen is ha income abo e he de ined
h eshold has been ea ned o h ee
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
3
consecu i e yea s (cu en ly: pe capi a
income o mo e han USD 13,845 (2022)).
3. Dependence on ODA unds has dec eased o
mos de eloping coun ies o e long pe iods o
ime. As a middle-income coun y, India has
only 0.1 pe cen dependence on ODA (2021),
while E hiopia has a a e o 3.6 pe cen and is
compa able o Tanzania (3.8 pe cen ).
Howe e , he e a e s ill coun ies such as
Bu undi (20.3 pe cen ) ha a e dependen on
ODA o 20 pe cen o mo e o hei economic
powe .
4. One o he mos impo an changes is ha in
ecen yea s he impo ance o ac o s o he
Global Sou h has inc eased eno mously o
in e na ional co-ope a ion ela ions in Ge man
and Eu opean poli ics. This applies o
indi idual coun ies, abo e all China and India,
bu ul ima ely o e e y o e in he UN Gene al
Assembly. Howe e , i also applies o
impo an alliances such as he g owing g oup
o BRICS+ coun ies o he A ican Union. The
Global Sou h is inc easingly de eloping in o a
ie cely con es ed s a egic pa ne in a luc u-
a ing geopoli ical si ua ion (Klingebiel, 2023).
The Global Sou h as a ca ego y sugges s he
homogenei y o a g oup o coun ies ha does no
exis in eali y. The shee numbe o coun ies wi h
hei e y di e en condi ions – o example in
e ms o popula ion igu es, go e nmen sys ems
and economic pe o mance – shows how blu ed
o e en misleading a simplis ic ca ego isa ion can
be. Ne e heless, he g oup ( o example in he
o m o he G oup o 77) is uni ed by simila
his o ical expe iences, unde - ep esen a ion in
global ins i u ions, and hei posi ioning wi h
espec o Wes e n s a es. The Global Sou h is o
a la ge ex en he scene o poli ical, economic and
o en mili a y con lic s. Howe e – and his is a
signi ican di e ence in compa ison wi h ea lie
pe iods: Coun ies and o ganisa ions om he
Global Sou h a e now key playe s in in e na ional
ela ions. This applies abo e all o China, bu also
o India and o he playe s. Fo example, when i
comes o o ing in he Uni ed Na ions Gene al
Assembly, i is o conside able in e na ional
impo ance how Sou h A ica o B azil, bu
inc easingly also smalle s a es (such as
Rwanda), beha e owa ds Russia and China.
The geopoli ical uphea als a ec all policies.
De elopmen policy ocusses on he Global Sou h
– his is a undamen al cha ac e is ic o he policy
ield. In his espec , he ques ion is e y
impo an : Wha does all his mean o
de elopmen policy concep s, na a i es and
ope a ional implemen a ion?
Changed de elopmen policy
De elopmen policy in Ge many, he EU and o he
Wes e n coun ies has changed conside ably in
ecen yea s. This is la gely due o he e y
changeable in e na ional con ex and has ou
main easons:
1. The new signi icance o geopoli ical and
geo-economic issues (sys emic compe i ion
be ween he USA / Wes e n playe s and
China; he impac o he Russian in asion o
Uk aine; access o key aw ma e ials, e c.) as
well as escala ing iolen con lic s and he
esul ing humani a ian eme gencies (such
as he si ua ion in Gaza ollowing he e o is
a acks by Hamas on Is ael on 7 Oc obe
2023). Fo example: since he end o 2021,
he EU has been planning o o e al e na i es
o he Chinese in as uc u e p og ammes ( he
Global Ga eway Ini ia i e). ODA is a cen al
pilla o he public inancing sha e o his
ini ia i e.
2. The clima e c isis and he ele ance o CO2
educ ion and adap a ion measu es: in 2009,
he indus ialised coun ies pledged o suppo
he de eloping coun ies wi h a leas 100
billion US dolla s annually o educe CO2 and
emissions and ake adap a ion measu es. The
clima e inancing a chi ec u e is o be placed
on a new oo ing by he end o 2024. On he
one hand, weal hy coun ies ha e a majo
esponsibili y in clima e inancing. On he
o he hand, hey a e also pu suing an
eno mous sel -in e es , as he consequences
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
4
o clima e change a e being el no leas in
Ge many. Clima e inancing is an impo an
eason o p o ide global public goods and hus
se es di ec sel -in e es s. Inso a as his
money comes om public budge s, hese
unds a e p edominan ly ecognised as
de elopmen coope a ion.
3. The app oach o ac i ely managing mig a ion
has also been an impo an igge o
de elopmen policy changes since 2015. Fo
example: he EU has had mig a ion manage-
men ag eemen s wi h Tunisia, Egyp and
Mau i ania since 2023. They build on a i s
ag eemen o his kind (2016) wi h Tu key
(Keijze , 2024). They a e con o e sial o a
a ie y o easons, and ye de elopmen co-
ope a ion is an elemen o hese ag eemen s.
4. Populis and igh -wing na ionalis
mo emen s, which a e inc easingly e-
p esen ed in pa liamen s and go e nmen s,
whe e o some ex en hey shape public
deba es and s ongly in luence he discou se
on he meaning ulness o de elopmen co-
ope a ion. This is inc easingly he case in
Ge many.
These easons ha e a ec ed poli ics, poli ical
decisions and social pe cep ions in a a ie y o
ways. This applies o de elopmen policy and
o he policy a eas (diplomacy, de ence policy,
o eign ade policy, e c.) ha ocus on mee ing
in e na ional challenges. In de elopmen policy,
his can be ecognised a a ious le els:
Mo i s and na a i es: In p inciple, de elopmen
policy is inc easingly pu suing geopoli ical and
geo-economic sel -in e es s, clima e- ela ed and
mig a ion- ela ed goals, bu also inc easingly
o he sel -in e es s. This applies, o example, o
he p omo ion o i s own economy and companies.
Acco dingly, alues such as jus ice and solida i y,
pa ne coun y in e es s, he global sus ainabili y
agenda (Agenda 2030) and adi ional discou ses
on he e ec i eness o de elopmen coope a ion
a e less p ominen .
S a egies and ac o s: The changed mo i a ions
and na a i es become clea a he le el o
s a egic app oaches, in he ac ions o
de elopmen policy ac o s ( ela ed o policies and
implemen a ion) and in he join o coo dina ed
app oach o policy a eas. Decisions o p o ide
massi e ci ilian suppo o Uk aine o , in iew o
he humani a ian ca as ophe in Gaza, o p o ide
ex e nal aid, a e gene ally likely o be o o e iding
poli ical impo ance and (co-)de e mined by o he
ac o s ou side o de elopmen policy. O he
examples include he i s Ge man na ional
secu i y s a egy, s a egies ela ing o he Indo-
Paci ic egion and China- ela ed s a egies.
Managing he in e ace be ween de elopmen
policy and o he policy a eas is becoming
inc easingly ele an .
Implemen a ion: P ojec s and o e a ching
p og ammes con inue o play a ole in he
ope a ional implemen a ion o de elopmen
policy. By and la ge, howe e , he app oach o
ackling mul i-laye ed issues such as “clima e
change” and “geopoli ical compe i ion” o
“mig a ion managemen ” has led o de elopmen
policy becoming an impo an pilla o mo e
complex poli ical esponses in ecen yea s.
Poli icians a e inc easingly endea ou ing o pu
oge he la ge “packages” ha combine a ious
public and p i a e inancing op ions. De elopmen
policy is a cen al pilla o public inancing. Fo
Ge many and he EU, such app oaches a e
pa icula ly e iden in (i) Jus Ene gy T ansi ion
Pa ne ships (JETPs), (ii) he Global Ga eway
Ini ia i e and (iii) he EU and Ge man mig a ion
ag eemen s.
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
5
Box 1: Wha is de elopmen policy and wha is de elopmen coope a ion?
In o de o answe he ques ion o how he de elopmen policy deba e is conduc ed in Ge many, i is
use ul o discuss he concep ual ounda ions. The e m de elopmen policy goes beyond de elopmen
coope a ion and encompasses h ee hings (Asho & Klingebiel, 2014):
1. The imp o emen o li ing condi ions in pa ne coun ies h ough de elopmen coope a ion. The ocus
he e is he e o e on measu es designed o suppo he socio-economic de elopmen o de eloping
coun ies. The e is an impo an in e na ional unde s anding on wha is mean by de elopmen
coope a ion. The DAC is he key pla o m in which Ge many has joined o ces wi h 31 o he OECD
membe s. The DAC main ains a lis o coun ies ha a e ecognised as de eloping coun ies and a e
en i led o ecei e ODA.
The lis dis inguishes be ween ou ca ego ies o de eloping coun ies – om leas de eloped coun ies
o mo e ad anced de eloping coun ies. The condi ions a y o many se ices p o ided by Ge man
de elopmen coope a ion o he Wo ld Bank G oup. Poo e de eloping coun ies, o example, ecei e
e y a ou able loans o ull g an s om K W De elopmen Bank’s Financial Coope a ion. Fo be e -
o coun ies, al hough de elopmen loans a e subsidised, hey a e much close o he condi ions on
he inancial ma ke s. GIZ’s Technical Coope a ion is gene ally o ganised as a g an . This has
ad an ages o pa ne coun ies (no impac on he deb si ua ion), bu also disad an ages (no
al e na i es o GIZ; ha dly any oppo uni ies o compa e quali y and p ice).
Policy-based app oaches can be used o add ess majo e o m issues wi h pa ne coun ies. The
Wo ld Bank and egional de elopmen banks a e p ima ily ecommended o associa ed inancing
app oaches.
2. As de elopmen policy helps o shape global amewo k condi ions and egula ions, i goes beyond
speci ic p ojec s in pa ne coun ies. The 2030 Agenda and wi h i he 17 Sus ainable De elopmen
Goals (SDGs) a e a uni e sal a ge o all coun ies, and de elopmen policy s akeholde s ha e played
a key ole in shaping hem. Acco dingly, de elopmen policy is also pu sued in acco dance wi h he
no ms and ules o global go e nance s uc u es.
I also en ails ai ly in ol ing ac o s om he Global Sou h in global go e nance s uc u es. One such
s ep was aken in 2023, when i was decided o add a sea o he A ican Union o he G20. In o he
in e na ional bodies – om he Wo ld Bank G oup o he UN Secu i y Council – de eloping coun ies
con inue o be unde - ep esen ed. O he deba es conce n he need o coo dina ion wi h s akeholde s
who in luence de elopmen issues. China is known o be a highly ele an playe in nume ous
de eloping coun ies h ough i s de elopmen ini ia i es ( he Bel and Road Ini ia i e) o he Global
De elopmen Ini ia i e (GDI)). I is in he in e es o Ge many and he EU o exchange on hese opics
wi h China.
3. De elopmen policy also includes issues o cohe ence in a ou o global sus ainable de elopmen .
The ocus he e is on he impac o o he policy a eas on he de elopmen oppo uni ies o he Global
Sou h (such as he consequences o he EU’s ag icul u al and ade policy). In his sense, de elopmen
policy is inc easingly expec ed o suppo he objec i es o o he policy a eas – such as EU mig a ion
policy.
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
6
Ge many’s pe o mance
in 2023, he olume o Ge many’s ODA amoun ed
o USD 36.7 billion, which co esponds o 0.79 pe
cen o Ge many's economic s eng h (g oss
na ional income, GNI) ( he so-called ODA a io).
This pu s Ge many in second place among DAC
dono s in e ms o olume behind he USA and in
ou h place in e ms o ODA / GNI a io behind
No way, Luxembou g and Sweden. All ede al
go e nmen s in ecen decades ha e commi ed
o a leas he 0.7 pe cen a ge o Ge many.
This a ge was achie ed o he i s ime in 2016,
hen again in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Some backg ound in o ma ion is ele an o
assessing he Ge man pe o mance:
1. De elopmen coope a ion o en goes beyond
he goal o suppo ing pa ne coun ies in hei
socio-economic de elopmen . This is pa icu-
la ly ue o Uk aine. The consequences o
Russian agg ession go a beyond Ge many's
speci ic de elopmen policy in e es s o hose
o o he DAC membe s. Uk aine is cu en ly by
a he la ges ecipien coun y o DAC
dono s. In 2023, hey made USD 20 billion o
nine pe cen o hei ODA a ailable o i o
ci ilian pu poses. Uk aine ecei ed a good wo
billion US dolla s om Ge many in bo h 2022
and 2023. This makes Uk aine he main
pa ne coun y.
The si ua ion is simila o o he opics ha
o en a ac a g ea deal o poli ical a en ion
ou side o de elopmen policy. This applies, o
example, o he EU’s Global Ga eway
Ini ia i e. I s main aim is o limi Chinese
in luence in de eloping egions. I also ela es
o unds o in e na ional clima e inancing,
which is o o e all poli ical in e es beyond a
specialised de elopmen policy depa men . In
his espec , de elopmen policy p omo es
o e a ching poli ical agendas.
2. A signi ican p opo ion o Ge man ODA is o
an impu ed na u e. These a e no unds om
he ede al budge ha a e ea ma ked o
de elopmen policy pu poses – i.e. ans e s o
pa ne coun ies. Ra he , many e o s a e o
an impu ed na u e o ma ke unds.
Th ee examples: (i) Se ices o e ugees who
a e accommoda ed in Ge many can be
epo ed as ODA acco ding o ce ain c i e ia.
These so-called in-dono e ugee cos s a e no
a ailable o de elopmen measu es in pa ne
coun ies. This applies o 19.5 pe cen o
Ge man ODA alone (2023). The e is an
in e na ional deba e as o whe he he dono
coun ies a e a i icially “in la ing” hei ODA
paymen s wi h e ugee expendi u e in hei
own coun ies.
(ii) The si ua ion is simila o he uni e si y
place cos s which he ede al s a es epo as
ODA o s uden s om de eloping coun ies. In
Ge many, hese impu ed cos s a e bo ne by
he ede al s a es and amoun ed o 5.3 pe
cen o ODA in 2022.
(iii) Capi al ma ke unds can be used as ODA.
These can be mobilised by K W and o e ed o
pa ne coun ies on a ou able e ms as
p omo ional loans. Using K W’s excellen
a ing on he capi al ma ke s, he Ge man
go e nmen can ake ad an age o a ou able
condi ions o in e na ional coope a ion
p ojec s wi hou ha ing o use unds om he
ede al budge . In 2022, hese ma ke unds
co esponded o a sha e o 4.2 pe cen o
Ge man ODA.
3. Finally, pa o Ge man ODA comes om
ede al budge unds. A o al o 17 ede al
budge sec ions (2021) ha e unds ha can be
coun ed as ODA. Two minis ies s and ou in
pa icula : Fi s ly, he Fede al Minis y o
Economic Coope a ion and De elopmen
(BMZ), which accoun s o a ound one hi d o
o al Ge man ODA.
The EUR 11.2 billion planned in he BMZ
budge o 2024 co esponds o 2.35 pe cen
o he ede al budge . I should be no ed ha
many in es men s a e p o ided as loans ia
Financial Coope a ion (FC), which a e la e
e u ned o he ede al budge . The 2024
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
7
ede al budge an icipa es co esponding
epaymen s o alling EUR 661 million.
Secondly, he Fede al Fo eign O ice (AA),
which has been esponsible o humani a ian
aid since May 2012. A o al o 3.5 billion eu os
we e planned in he 2024 budge o he
Fede al Fo eign O ice o he a ea o peace
and secu i y, which includes humani a ian aid.
This makes humani a ian aid a cen al pilla o
pa icula ly di icul eme gency si ua ions
(Gaza o Uk aine). These bene i s a e epo ed
as ODA.
S a egies and e o ms
The changed in e na ional con ex s and new
deba es in Ge many call o a di e en long- e m
pe spec i e on de elopmen policy ha akes a
close look a i s ounda ions (objec i es, need o
s uc u al e o m, e c.) and he need o
modi ica ion. Fi e ecommenda ions ollow:
(i) “Open s a egic au onomy” o
de elopmen policy
In ecen yea s, Ge man and Eu opean
de elopmen policy has esponded o he highly
dynamic in e na ional con ex . Di ec sel -in e es s
a e now playing a g ea e ole. In addi ion, he e
is pa icipa ion in he p o ision o global public
goods om which all coun ies bene i , ega dless
o whe he hese coun ies a e in he EU o he
Global Sou h. This applies in pa icula o he goal
o comba ing he clima e c isis by educing
emissions o o global heal h issues (such as
Co id and Ebola).
This policy b ie a gues ha de elopmen policy
makes and should make a signi ican
independen con ibu ion o hese key conce ns.
(i) The concep ual con ibu ion o de elopmen
policy consis s o a sys emic iew: Issues o global
sus ainable de elopmen a e add essed wi h a
ocus on coun ies and socie ies in he Global
Sou h. This akes in o accoun Ge many’s and
Eu ope’s own conce ns, bu goes beyond hem.
(ii) The conc e e con ibu ion esul s om a
combina ion o ope a ional knowledge (how o
achie e change wi h pa ne s e en unde di icul
condi ions) and s uc u al app oaches ( e o ms o
global policies, o example a he mul ila e al
de elopmen banks o he Uni ed Na ions) o
e en indi idual pa ne coun ies (such as wo king
wi h pa ne s ou side o go e nmen s, o example
in an au oc a ic con ex ).
“Open s a egic au onomy” (based on EU
posi ioning deba es) makes i clea ha openness
is needed o di e en policy a eas and s ake-
holde s and hei espec i e conce ns. A he
Box 2: E ec s
In p inciple, Ge man de elopmen policy has a close-meshed con ol, moni o ing and e alua ion ne wo k
o o e see he subs an i e and iducia y use o budge unds. Wi h ega d o isks o misuse o unds, i
can be s a ed ha hese only occu occasionally and ha p e en ion and con ol app oaches a e e ec i e
( esponse o he Fede al Go e nmen o a mino ques ion in he Bundes ag; D s. 20/11363).
Some impo an bodies – wi h di e en manda es – a e he specialised commi ee o he Ge man
Bundes ag (Commi ee on Economic Coope a ion and De elopmen ), he audi s o he Fede al Audi
O ice and a comp ehensi e e alua ion sys em. In addi ion, he e a e in e na ional mechanisms ha a e
o en no acknowledged e y well, such as he egula Pee Re iew by he DAC and he moni o ing
ounds by he Global Pa ne ship o E ec i e De elopmen Coope a ion. Fu he analyses by
independen ins i u ions p o ide addi ional insigh s, such as he annual Commi men o De elopmen
Index o he Cen e o Global De elopmen (CGD).
I would make sense o u he op imise Ge man de elopmen policy. One way could be h ough g ea e
e idence o ien a ion in decision-making p ocesses and by making g ea e use o in e na ional lea ning
expe iences (Esse & Janus, 2023; Ma schall, 2022). In e na ional and compa a i e coun y analyses
should be used mo e sys ema ically in decision-making p ocesses in o de o se s a egic goals (such
as he educ ion o ied se ices in de elopmen coope a ion).
IDOS Policy B ie 27/2024
8
same ime, howe e , a ce ain deg ee o
au onomy is equi ed o he policy ield o be
success ul. This means, o example, ha a
Eu opean o e o coope a e wi h A ican pa ne s
akes in o accoun he endea ou s o China and
Russia o expand hei sphe es o in luence. I
also means ha g ea impo ance is a ached o
o he pe spec i es (in e es s o he pa ne
coun ies and popula ions ha see an ad an age
in a mul i-alignmen ) and added alue is c ea ed
( o example ne wo ks in coun ies beyond
in e go e nmen al ela ionships).
Agains his backd op, de elopmen policy is an
elemen o poli ical o ganisa ion ha se es
impo an Ge man and Eu opean in e es s. This is
pa icula ly ue in an en i onmen ha is in-
c easingly de ined by geopoli ics. I con ibu es i s
own long- e m pe spec i es in compa ison o
o he policy a eas. This is an added alue ha
open s a egic au onomy can suppo . I is
impo an no o slip in o a c ude policy o in e es s
h ough de elopmen policy, bu o u ilise he
open s a egic au onomy in such a way ha i
cen ally akes he in e es s o he pa ne s in o
conside a ion.
Recommenda ion: Poli ical ac o s (especially
BMZ, AA, Bundes ag, hink anks, ci il socie y) in
Ge many should e lec much mo e s a egically
on he s uc u al expec a ions o he policy ield
and inco po a e hem in o hei p og ammes.
Howe e , he Ge man discou se has so a only
done limi ed jus ice o his app oach.
(ii) Rede ining goals
Al hough he eali y o de elopmen policy has
changed conside ably in ecen yea s, de elop-
men policy is s ill pe cei ed in public and poli ical
discou se wi h a na ow ocus on i s al uis ic,
humani a ian goals. The policy ield has been
insu icien ly able o p esen i sel as a design
ins umen ha se es o mee global challenges
and as a cen al coope a ion app oach wi h
pa ne s om he Global Sou h. De elopmen
policy should be able o de ine mo e p ecisely
wha po en ial lies beyond pa ne ship suppo .
De elopmen policy is a cen al elemen o so
powe . This applies o China, Tu key, he USA
and Ge many. So powe , as de ined by Joseph
Nye, is a o m o exe cising powe and o shaping
oppo uni ies h ough he pe suasi e powe and
appeal o an ac o . I is demons ably ad an a-
geous o in luencing in e na ional poli ical
decisions, bu i is also a compe i i e economic
ad an age. Alongside o he app oaches (such as
s uden s om ab oad), a coun y’s de elopmen
policy is demons ably a cen al pilla o so powe
(Singh & Macdonald, 2017).
In an in e na ional poli ical en i onmen ha is
inc easingly dependen on “mixed alliances” o
coun ies wi h di e en iden i ies (“Wes ”, “Global
Sou h”, egional a ibu ions, e c.), i makes sense
o emphasise how de elopmen policy can make
be e use o i s in e go e nmen al ela ionships,
bu also non-go e nmen al ne wo ks (such as
poli ical ounda ions and hink anks).
Such po en ial exis s no leas wi h ega d o mo e
ad anced de eloping coun ies (such as India) o
e en coun ies which in he o eseeable u u e will
no longe be in e na ionally ca ego ised as
de eloping coun ies (especially China, bu also
coun ies such as Tu key and o he s). I is
impo an o open up oppo uni ies o dialogue
wi h hese coun ies in o de o be able o
exchange iews on no ms and s anda ds (e.g.
wi h ega d o Chinese de elopmen ini ia i es).
Recommenda ion: In de elopmen policy in
pa icula , he e is a discou se in Ge many ha is
almos impossible o esol e and only opens up
choices be ween “ alues” and “in e es s”.
Howe e , i de elopmen policy is unde s ood as
a so powe app oach, i ollows ha he in e es s
and pe spec i es o pa ne s do no ha e o
con lic wi h one’s own mo i es. Howe e , he
Ge man deba e has so a only done limi ed
jus ice o his app oach.
(iii) In e ace managemen and di isions o
minis e ial esponsibili ies
The issue o he minis e ial di ision o policy a eas
and he managemen o in e aces be ween
