Days before the launch of the North-South Commission, development aid organizations have urged the German government to reverse billions in cuts to development aid. The children's aid organization Terre des Hommes and the development organization Welthungerhilfe presented their devastating analysis in the annual report "Kompass 2026" in Berlin.

"A failure of political support, a drastic decline in funding and a growing disregard for international humanitarian law are making it harder to reach people in need and are undermining the effectiveness and reliability of humanitarian aid," the report reads. Budgets for Germany's Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and for humanitarian aid have been cut every year since 2022, slashed by a third overall, leaving about €10 billion for development aid and €1 billion for humanitarian aid, with further cuts planned.

Mathias Mogge, head of Welthungerhilfe, said the reform plan presented by Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan in January lacks credibility without genuine partnerships between equals. Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for Terre des Hommes, summed up criticism: "The reform of development policy must not become a mere administrative project led by Berlin."

The organizations called for greater involvement of civil society actors from the so-called Global South, particularly young people, in formulating, implementing and evaluating development policy strategies.

Germany's cuts are part of a global trend where countries increase military investments while slashing development and humanitarian aid amid rising wars and crises. The organizations argue Germany is compromising its credibility and call for better integration of development cooperation, peacekeeping and humanitarian aid with multi-year funding.

The North-South Commission, consisting of about 20 experts from the Global South and North, will kick off on June 30 in Hamburg. Minister Alabali Radovan said it will "further strengthen our partnerships with the countries of the Global South."

However, Charlotte Neuhäuser, spokesperson for the opposition Left Party in the Bundestag, dismissed the commission as an empty gesture, accusing the government of seeking access to new markets, cheap labor and raw materials under the guise of fair partnerships while slashing funding for hunger relief, hospitals, schools and social security systems in the Global South.

Source: www.dw.com