The German Red Cross (DRK) has issued a stark warning regarding proposed cuts to humanitarian aid programs. Christoph Johnen, head of international cooperation at the DRK, voiced significant concerns in an interview with the Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung, describing the planned reductions as “irresponsible” and detrimental to the world’s most vulnerable populations.
The current draft budget from the governing coalition proposes to decrease funding for international humanitarian assistance from approximately €2.2 billion to just over €1 billion. This represents a reduction of roughly 52% compared to the figures for 2024.
Johnen emphasized the urgent need for increased, not decreased, resources, citing cuts already implemented by other nations, alongside a rise in both armed conflicts and extreme weather events. He cautioned against austerity measures targeting those most in need, characterizing such actions as potentially disastrous.
The DRK official also expressed fears that these significant cuts would damage Germany’s international reputation and erode trust. He urged the federal parliament’s representatives to reconsider the planned reductions and called on the government to honor commitments made in the coalition agreement, which initially pledged to strengthen humanitarian aid.
Germany has historically been committed to international development goals. In 1970, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution encouraging developed countries to allocate 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) to development assistance. This target was reaffirmed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Germany has only achieved this aspiration five times since 2023.
