The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
The development policy of the Federal Republic of Germany is an independent area of German foreign policy. It is formulated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The BMZ lays down the long-term development cooperation strategies and defines the rules by which they are put into practice by the implementing organizations, such as GTZ and KfW. The work of the BMZ is subject to parliamentary control. A specialist Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development (AwZ) is particularly responsible for this.
The German government principles of development policy are set out in the “Towards One World: Development Policy White Paper” as of June 2008. According to this, Germany bases its development policy on international agreements and commitments, particularly the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals. The German government is also working at national and international level to implement the provisions of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Germany’s development policy is an element of global structural and peace policy. German development policy is based on four guiding principles: reducing poverty, protecting the natural environment and the climate, building peace and realizing democracy and promoting equitable forms of globalization.
With regard to social health protection the BMZ’s policy aims at improving access to health services for poor population groups and improving their protection against financial, health and social risks associated with sickness.
