The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) launched its new Africa Strategy “Shaping the Future with Africa” in late January 2023. Apart from the flagship Feminist Development Policy it mostly lists ongoing activities and only vaguely hints at new intentions.
How does the BMZ view Africa?
The ministry recognises the continent as central for solving pressing global challenges like hunger, poverty and inequality, the climate and water crisis as well as pandemics. The BMZ wants to work with Africa in pursuit of “socially and environmentally responsible, shared prosperity”; creating a “peaceful, secure, more equitable world”, ensured through “rules-based global cooperation and equal rights”.
The continent will be home to a quarter of the world’s population by the middle of this century. Increasingly urbanised and with a growing middle class which “expects economic and political participation,” Africa will influence the future of democracy. It has an abundance of strategically important natural resources as well as great agricultural and renewable energy potential. African states industrialising in a sustainable, green manner will influence the intensity of climate change.
The BMZ recognises the activities of other actors, such as China, Russia, Turkey, and the Gulf States, jostling for influence in Africa. Their offers to build infrastructure, develop resources, or supply weapons and mercenaries “constitute further options for African governments.” German policies must recognise that African states have their own interests, view of the world and vision of “the best economic, political and social order.” To be attractive to African governments, the BMZ aims to “avoid patronising partner states and engages critically with its understanding of what constitutes good development.” It’s 2023, and the ministry apparently feels the need to state this explicitly.
In return, partner countries are expected to respect Human Rights and International Law. The BMZ identifies a set of common values and interests reflected in the UN SDGs as well as in the AUs Agenda 2063. They are Human Rights, the rule of law, democracy, sustainability and social standards, and gender equality.
What then is the BMZs Africa Strategy?
Anchored to these values, the BMZ structures its approach to Africa in six focus areas:
- Sustainable economic development, employment and prosperity;
- Overcoming poverty and hunger and building social protection;
- Health and pandemic prevention;
- Feminist development policy and gender equality;
- Rule of law, democracy, human rights and good governance;
- Peace and Security.
The more detailed description of these focus areas turns out to be a list of mostly existing activities. Very rarely does the strategy hint at new approaches. When it does, it only declares intentions. I am left with the impression of having read most of this in previous strategy papers.
Economic cooperation with Africa is only mentioned in passing. The strategy makes a side remark of addressing trade relations, which are often perceived as unfair by African governments e.g., due to intense European subsidies. It is the BMZs stated long-term goal to reach an EU-Africa Free Trade Agreement. But what about solutions for now? The BMZs new Africa Strategy only states intentions to expand on some old approaches, including the few private sector engagement schemes.
The tone throughout the strategy is a good one, emphasising respect. This is reflected in the effort to tie BMZs goals to shared values and interests but also in recognising African agency and perspectives. This, however, might lead to conflicts regarding the only big new objective: Feminist Development Policy.
It is arguably the biggest new strategic objective. The BMZ intends to raise the percentage of funding with a direct or indirect link to gender equality to 93% by 2025, up from 64% currently. The umbrella term Feminist Development Policy combines several goals. Early in the paper, when defining the shared values and objectives, the BMZ gives a first explanation of its approach to reaching gender equality:
The BMZ intends to work with African partner countries to elevate women’s and girls’ political, social and economic participation to a policy goal in cooperation […] This also involves avoiding racist structures and post-colonial continuities, as well as championing marginalised groups such as people with disabilities, members of indigenous communities and LGBTQI+ individuals and their rights.
BMZ, 2023
The ministry appears willing to put its money where its mouth is. We will see how well the inclusion of LGBTQI+ individuals will go down with some African partner countries, but the effort deserves praise.
All these issues cannot successfully be tackled by one ministry alone. Here though, the German government lacks an integrated approach. Germany needs to combine the Foreign, Defence and Economic ministries with common strategic objectives regarding relations with African countries. Instead, the strategy ends with a chapter on partnerships with African institutions but also increased European cooperation. Good in principle, but the same caveats apply. It remains to be seen how this will deliver concrete results. The BMZ is – like so often in this strategy paper – stating intentions without detailing specific new ideas on how to make partnerships work in the pursuit of its specific goals.
The BMZ Africa Strategy combines old ideas and approaches with a sprinkle of Feminist Development Policy and some new hinted intentions. It stresses respect for African agency and values. But it does not deliver many tangible new ideas. Germany’s development cooperation surely is not unsuccessful, but climate change, hunger, and poverty, as well as a power balance skewed against Africa, will not be tackled successfully by simply re-packaging old ideas into new focus areas.
The Afropolitan 