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DW
11 hours ago
- Business
- DW
To prioritize defense, Germany to cut development aid – DW – 06/30/2025
Germany is ramping up defense spending — while cutting funds for development cooperation. Aid organizations warn of the consequences for millions of people in a world beset by wars and crises. Germany's draft federal budget for 2025 includes sweeping cuts. The Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry (BMZ) is set to receive €10.3 billion ($12.1 billion) — nearly a €1 billion less than in 2024. It's the second consecutive year that the budget has been reduced. A glance back at 2022 underscores the scale of the decline: At that time, Germany was still spending €13.8 billion on development aid. Michael Herbst, chair of the umbrella organization VENRO, which represents about 140 development NGOs in Germany, illustrated the human cost of these dramatic cuts amid growing global conflict. "More than 100 million people are displaced," Herbst said. "At the same time, more and more donor countries are pulling back." That's why, he said, Germany needs to ensure stable funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. But the opposite is occurring. Germany's cuts come at a time when US President Donald Trump, early in his second term, has also initiated deep reductions in development aid, reportedly slashing about 80% of funding. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed at its recent summit on June 25, 2025, that each NATO member state should spend 5% of its gross domestic product on defense annually. Against this backdrop, the global decline in development aid stands out all the more. The consequences are already becoming clear, especially in the field of humanitarian assistance. The United States has completely withdrawn its support for the UN-administered relief fund. Faced with sweeping international cutbacks, emergency aid coordinator Tom Fletcher says he is being forced to shut down numerous programs for the world's poorest. Weeks ago, Fletcher warned that the impact on people in need and suffering from hunger would be devastating. Instead of the originally projected $44 billion, Fletcher now expects just $29 billion to be available for distributing food, water, medicine, shelter, and other essential aid. Fletcher said the reduced funding would enable 114 million people to be reached — down from the 180 million originally planned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Because of the sharp reduction in the BMZ budget, Germany's official development assistance ratio fell below its self-imposed goal of 0.7% of gross national income in 2024. It had consistently remained above that threshold since 2020. Humanitarian emergency aid is being slashed by 53%, to about €1 billion. VENRO chair, Herbst, says the move is short-sighted: "As the world's third-largest economy, Germany can and must take responsibility here. It cannot continue cutting budgets in these areas." However, his push for a reversal was unsuccessful. As an export-driven nation, Germany depends on strong international ties and global stability. "The German economy benefits from a solid reputation and reliable relationships in countries of the Global South. That helps secure jobs here at home, as well," Herbst points out. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Terre des Hommes give the federal government a poor overall assessment. However, the coalition agreement between the governing center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democratic Party describes the cuts to development and humanitarian aid as "appropriate." In response, the aid organizations counter: "That contradicts the government's own stated goal of ensuring sustainable humanitarian funding — especially at a time when other donor countries are pulling out." All the same, Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan, a Social Democrat, said Germany remained committed to its global responsibilities — "despite painful budgetary constraints on development spending imposed by the coalition agreement."While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
DW
12 hours ago
- Business
- DW
Germany to cut development aid – DW – 06/30/2025
Germany is ramping up defense spending — while cutting funds for development cooperation. Aid organizations warn of the consequences for millions, amid a world beset by wars and crises. Germany's draft federal budget for 2025 includes sweeping cuts. The Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is set to receive just €10.3 billion ($12.1 billion) — nearly a billion less than in 2024. It's the second consecutive year of reductions. A glance back at 2022 underscores the scale of the decline: at that time, Germany was still spending €13.8 billion ($16.2 billion) on development aid. Michael Herbst, chair of the umbrella organization VENRO, which represents around 140 development NGOs in Germany, illustrated the human cost of these dramatic cuts amid growing global conflict: "More than 100 million people are displaced. At the same time, more and more donor countries are pulling back." That's why, he argues, Germany needs to ensure stable funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. But the opposite is occurring. Germany's cuts come at a time when US President Donald Trump, early in his second term, has also initiated deep reductions in development aid, reportedlyslashing around 80% of funding. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreed at its recent summit on June 25, 2025, that each member state should spend 5% of its economic output on defense annually. Against this backdrop, the global decline in development aid stands out all the more starkly. The consequences are already becoming clear, especially in the field of humanitarian assistance. The US has completely withdrawn its support for the UN-administered relief fund. Faced with sweeping international cutbacks, emergency aid coordinator Tom Fletcher says he is being forced to shut down numerous programs for the world's poorest. Just weeks ago, the UN representative warned that the impact on those in need and suffering from hunger would be devastating. Instead of the originally projected $44 billion, Fletcher now expects just $29 billion to be available for distributing food, water, medicine, shelter, and other essential aid. According to him, the reduced funding will only enable 114 million people to be reached — down from the 180 million originally targeted. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Due to the sharp reduction in the BMZ budget, Germany's so-called ODA ratio (Official Development Assistance) fell below its self-imposed goal of 0.7% of gross national income in 2024. It had consistently remained above that threshold since 2020. Humanitarian emergency aid is being slashed by 53% to around €1 billion ($1.2 billion). VENRO chair, Herbst, says the move is short-sighted: "As the world's third-largest economy, Germany can and must take responsibility here. It cannot continue cutting budgets in these areas." However, his push for a reversal was unsuccessful. As an export-driven nation, Germany depends on strong international ties and global stability. "The German economy benefits from a solid reputation and reliable relationships in countries of the Global South. That helps secure jobs here at home, as well," Herbst points out. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Terre des Hommes give the federal government a poor overall assessment. However, the coalition agreement between the governing center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) describes the cuts to development and humanitarian aid as "appropriate." In response, the aid organizations counter: "That contradicts the government's own stated goal of ensuring sustainable humanitarian funding — especially at a time when other donor countries are pulling out." All the same, German Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) affirmed that Germany remains committed to its global responsibilities – "despite painful budgetary constraints on development spending imposed by the coalition agreement."While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Al Jazeera
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel won't allow Syria military forces south of Damascus: Netanyahu
Israel will not allow the new Syrian government's military forces to operate in territory south of Syria's capital Damascus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned. Addressing a military ceremony in Israel on Sunday, Netanyahu demanded the 'full demilitarisation of southern Syria from troops of the new Syrian regime in the Quneitra, Daraa and Suweyda provinces'. 'We will not allow forces from the HTS organisation or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus,' Netanyahu said, referring to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which spearheaded the offensive that toppled longtime Syrian leader President Bashar al-Assad last December. He also warned that Israel would not accept any threats to the Druze community in Syria, who live in the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory illegally occupied by Israel, and other parts of southwestern Syria. Israel has taken advantage of al-Assad's fall to expand into a buffer zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and southern Syria, breaching a United Nations agreement brokered in 1974. The Druze are a religious minority found across several countries in the region. In Syria, many have expressed their opposition to Israeli expansion into the southwest of the country, and thousands living in the occupied Golan Heights have refused to take Israeli citizenship. However, in Israel, the majority of the Druze population supports the Israeli state and men are conscripted into the military. Israel occupies approximately two-thirds of the Golan Heights, with the UN-administered buffer zone spanning a narrow, 400-square-kilometre (154-sq-mile) area. The rest has been controlled by Syria. In 1974, Israel and Syria struck a ceasefire agreement that determined the Golan Heights would be a demilitarised buffer zone. But shortly after the fall of al-Assad last December, the Israeli military moved within the buffer zone and has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian military assets. Israel has justified its attacks on Syria for years by claiming it is eliminating Iranian military targets. However, Iran has said none of its forces are currently in Syria, and the new Syrian government has indicated it has no desire to fight Israel. Israeli forces have currently established two posts on Syria's Mount Hermon and seven others in the buffer zone, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said. On Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israeli forces would remain on Mount Hermon and in a buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights for 'for an indefinite period to protect our communities and thwart any threat'.
Al Manar
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Israeli Occupation Carries out More Incursions into Syria's Quneitra
The Israeli occupation forces continued their expansion into the Syrian territory, carrying out incursions into the towns of Al-Rafid in the southern Quneitra countryside and the village of Ruwaihina with tanks for several hours. Images circulated on social media showed Israeli occupation forces crossing and freely roaming in the streets of the towns. Syria _ Quneitra The Israeli army is advancing with a force consisting of two tanks and a machine to the village of ruwehina in the southern countryside of Quneitra @GermanyDiplo @francediplo_AR @EUinSyria @CENTCOMArabic @USEmbassySyria @RepJoeWilson @DutchMFA @UKSyriaRep — كاترين☦️ (@Catherine_33) February 14, 2025 Meanwhile, local sources said that the Israeli occupation is exploiting the deterioration of the living conditions in the Syrian border villages, which has worsened since the fall of former president Bashar Al-Assad's regime. The sources reported that the Israeli occupation has been gathering data to examine the financial and living conditions of the residents in area under the pretext of offering them humanitarian aid and other local services, including electricity. The Israeli initiative was met with categorical rejection by the Syrian towns' residents, the sources added, attributing the stance to a belief among the Syrian locals that 'the occupation's behavior cannot carry good intentions, but rather aims to create a popular incubator that accepts its existence.' Quneitra turns into a West Bank situation, i.e. Northeast Bank. — Rena Netjes renanetjes@ (@RenaNetjes) February 14, 2025 After the collapse of the former regime, Israeli occupation forces crossed into a UN-administered buffer zone in Syria's Quneitra province which separates Syria from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, ending a truce agreement that had been in place between Damascus and the Zionist entity since 1974. The occupation has since taken control of several villages in the area as well as the Syrian side of the strategic Mount Hermon and is building illegal military bases, satellite images show.
