A call signed by several prominent German businesses advocates for strengthening development cooperation. The petition, reported by “Handelsblatt” (Thursday edition), was backed by pharmaceutical conglomerate Bayer, airline Condor, and transport companies Hapag-Lloyd and DHL. The German Foreign Trade Association (BGA) has also joined the initiative, which was prompted by Development Minister Alabali Radovan (SPD) as a commitment to boosting international collaboration.
Radovan argues that development aid benefits the German economy as well. She told the paper that “isolation weakens Germany and jeopardizes our prosperity.” The Minister emphasized that securing jobs and competitiveness requires reliable global partners, stating, “We want relationships at eye level where both sides benefit.”
The initiative comes against a backdrop of cuts to international development efforts. In the United States, billionaire Elon Musk utilized his role as a special advisor in the White House to dismantle the independent development agency USAID. The companies are now pushing back, highlighting the clear economic benefits of development aid. They wrote in their appeal that “Germany relies on its international cooperation like almost no other country,” adding, “Our economy requires worldwide connections, new markets, and strong, reliable partners.”
