The German development community has been through uncertain times since the federal elections took place in late September. The Social Democrats lost, and the SPD development minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul had to step down from her post - after shaping Germany’s development policy for eleven years. The liberal FDP, the main winner of the elections had put forward the demand of doing away with an independent development ministry in its election campaign. Bodo Ellmers reports
However, uncertainty over whether development will still exist as an independent field of policy is now partly over. Last week the parties signed the new coalition agreement. The good news: the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) still exists as an independent body. But now the bad news: It went to the FDP.
For many observers and especially the development community, this choice is seen as a provocation. The FDP’s former General Secretary, Dirk Niebel (see photo), has been appointed as the new development minister... ... this article comes up in WDEV 6/Nov-Dec 2009 is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
After decades of isolation - imposed by major OECD countries out of concern for the country's human rights violations - Myanmar is emerging as a new darling of the "West" - judging by the accelerating succession of visits by senior officials and gurus. New groups of investors are waiting to enter the country as soon as possible.
Persistent high unemployment, the euro area debt crisis and premature fiscal austerity have already slowed global growth and factor into the possibility of a new recession. Now the United Nations have downgraded significantly its forecasts for the world economy in the next year.
Eastern European states are in for a new round of the crisis. The external control of the banking sector and high reliance on external credit has landed the countries of Eastern Europe in a vulnerable position. Now, credit flows from Western banks are drying up again. Hungary has been the first country in the region to ask for IMF support again.
While the G20 efforts to manage global aggregate demand, exchange rate management and stronger regulation of the international financial sector have not worked out quite as planned, in Cannes the Group was further solidifying its role in directing the system of multilateral institutions.
In November 2011, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The new Minister, Dirk Niebel of the (neo)-liberal FDP has launched a 'radical change of course'. In the recent edition of the Reality of Aid shadow report the change is analyzed.