The German government has launched a new North-South Commission on Development Policy, which has already begun work with the participation of international leaders and significant representation from the Global South.
Commission chairs Olaf Scholz and Laura Chinchilla introduced the 20 members of the body in Berlin on Monday. The group includes prominent figures such as World Bank President Ajay Banga, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege. The commission is tasked with formulating proposals for reorganizing international development cooperation in a multipolar world.
The commission represents a diverse cross-section of stakeholders, including international organizations, the business sector, trade unions, academia, civil society, and former top politicians. The German government established this independent body at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference at the end of June.
Scholz stated that the commission’s composition reflects the ambition to present political proposals with international weight. Its goal is to develop shared proposals that are politically actionable. Chinchilla highlighted the shifting global power dynamics, noting that the societies of the Global South are shaping the 21st century. The first meeting of the North-South Commission is scheduled to take place in Bangkok in mid-October.
Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) commented that the high-level participation and strong international interest confirm that “the commission hits a nerve,” as the signs of the times call for robust partnerships with the Global South. The two co-chairs have successfully brought together some of the most important personalities from the Global South and the Global North to collaboratively develop recommendations on reforming international cooperation and addressing urgent global challenges.
