6 November 2025 - As the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) discusses the focal points of German development policy at tomorrow's economic conference (7 October), the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) believes that it cannot stop at merely pleasant-sounding declarations of intent. At the heart must be a genuine paradigm shift – away from pure project logic towards a consistent linkage between development cooperation and trade, investment, and resource security.

From Africa to Asia, the race for markets, resources, and investments is intensifying – and Germany risks falling behind. While other states strategically link their development cooperation with economic interests, Berlin is still lacking strategic consistency. "Trade and investments are not side issues of development cooperation but the keys to shared future opportunities," emphasises DIHK Chief of Foreign Trade Volker Treier.

The key is to involve the German economy right from the start in bilateral government negotiations. "Only when development projects and economic opportunities are considered together do partnerships emerge that are sustainable – for example, in energy, infrastructure, or agriculture," says Treier. Such cooperations could simultaneously create prosperity in partner countries and enhance Germany's competitiveness.

Another focus is on resource security. "Strategic partnerships for cobalt, lithium, or rare earths not only secure industrial transformation in Germany but also strengthen the production base and economic development on-site. Relying solely on imports risks even losing access to these markets long-term," warns Treier.

To enable German companies to play a larger role, the funding landscape must be reformed. According to DIHK, current procedures are too complex, confusing, and insufficiently SME-friendly. "Primarily smaller companies need easy access to financing, risk insurance, and tendering. Development cooperation must become more practical here," demands Treier. The German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs) and their networks should also play a more significant role and be systematically integrated into programmes.

The backlog is particularly evident in the awarding of contracts: Only about eleven per cent of public development cooperation funds (Official Development Assistance, ODA) currently go to German companies – the EU average is 34 per cent, and in the USA, it's over 80 per cent. "This is a significant competitive disadvantage. We need an award policy that better considers German companies and finally turns the targets from the coalition agreement into reality," says Treier.

"Modern development cooperation must consistently focus on economic cooperation," concludes Treier. "Only in this way can we align the interests of our partners with future opportunities for German companies – and give Germany the scope for action that others have long been utilising."