Welthungerhilfe criticises the German “black‑red” coalition for wanting to weigh economic interests more heavily in development aid.
General secretary Mathias Mog Mogge told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” that, from a political standpoint, it is understandable that German companies should receive a larger share of contracts awarded through state‑run aid programmes. However, he argues that such a focus is insufficient.
Mog Mogge stresses the need for direct investment by German firms in poorer-and sometimes fragile-countries to create jobs and foster sustainable growth in regions with predominantly young populations. He notes that, despite a number of promotion and special funding programmes from the Ministry of Economic Development, the German business sector has not shown the willingness to assume the risks required for such investment.
The general secretary said that development policy should not be purely driven by charity, as the public no longer easily accepts a purely “charitable” purpose. With limited tax revenues and mounting budget pressures, it is understandable that policy will increasingly be guided by economic considerations. Yet, he cautions that the minister’s vision is unlikely to succeed under these conditions.
