Serap Güler, the CDU State Secretary in the Foreign Office, has called for increased funding for humanitarian aid during recent discussions in the Bundestag regarding the federal budget. Speaking to ARD’s capital studio on the World Humanitarian Day, August 19, Güler emphasized that assisting distressed populations is fundamentally “in our own security interest,” given the current global crises and widespread wars. She cautioned against the notion that these global issues would not eventually impact Germany.
Despite the necessity of setting priorities amid tight budgetary constraints, Güler insisted that Sudan, Gaza, and the Middle East overall should remain top priorities, alongside Ukraine.
In recent years, cuts to humanitarian aid from the Foreign Office have been substantial. The 2025 federal budget saw nearly a 50% reduction, resulting in approximately one billion euros being allocated for 2026 and 2027. While Güler described last year’s reductions as painful, she stated they were unavoidable given the financial situation. She stressed that it is now crucial to secure an increase in funding for next year during the parliamentary process after the summer recess. Furthermore, the budget of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is also subject to cuts.
These austerity measures have drawn strong criticism. Boris Mijatovic, a Member of the Greens in the Bundestag and a member of the Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, publicly admonished the federal government. He told ARD’s capital studio that the government must fulfill its coalition agreement promise to allocate adequate funds for humanitarian aid, calling its failure a mistake.
The matter of development aid context notes that the UN General Assembly established a goal back in 1970-reinforced by the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals-requiring developed nations to dedicate 0.7% of their Gross Domestic Product to development assistance. In 2025, Germany’s allocation for this Official Development Assistance (ODA) stood at 0.56%.
