German NGOs demand urgent reforms in faltering development policy

Two major NGOs have presented a critical assessment of Germany’s development policy. Welthungerhilfe and Terre des Hommes highlighted growing challenges and called for urgent reforms. They warn that current plans lack a clear strategy and fail to involve key stakeholders sufficiently. Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of Welthungerhilfe, and Joshua Hofert, his counterpart at Terre des Hommes, shared their findings on Wednesday. Their joint report points to rising violations of international humanitarian law and the increasing politicisation of aid.

The organisations argue that economic cooperation must align with local partners. They also stress that the German government must balance its own interests with those of recipient countries. Mogge underlined that the reform should focus on quality, not quantity, demanding less bureaucracy and more autonomy for civil society.

Since 2022, the federal government has reduced the development cooperation budget by a third. Further cuts are expected in the 2027 budget. The NGOs now urge an increase in humanitarian aid funding from €1 billion to €2.8 billion for next year.

Hofert insisted that reforms must not be a Berlin-led administrative project. He called for early and binding involvement of partner countries, local civil society, and young people. Mogge also stressed the need to fund prevention, not just emergency responses, as crises, wars, and climate change intensify pressure on development policy. The NGOs welcome the policy realignment but demand a more coherent approach. They argue that civil society must have a stronger voice in shaping reforms. Without these changes, they warn that development efforts will struggle to meet growing global challenges.