Germany, on January 24, 2023, outlined its vision policy on how the country will work with partners within the African continent, DW reported.
According to the development policy visions outlined by German Development Minister Svenja Schulze on Tuesday, Berlin aims to work with independent organizations and national governments to address overreaching challenges that could trigger new conflicts, mass migrations, pandemics and higher global carbon emissions.
The 36-page document was generated after a 6-month joint consultation with European and African representatives drawn from different groups such as political, business, academia, civil society, and youth, Schulze said, adding that job creation within the continent’s rapidly growing population was the core of Germany’s new strategy.
“It is jobs that make the difference between a lack of prospects, frustration, and instability on the one hand and development, innovation, and overcoming crises on the other,” Schulze said.
The Minister added that Africa is an emerging continent with one of the fastest growing populations, estimated to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, rich in sun, wind and mineral resources that can be tapped into to create 25 million jobs yearly. The strategy highlighted the need for social and ecological change to achieve prosperity, preserve livelihoods, and promote social justice.
Noting the lack of access to Coronavirus vaccines by many African nations at the height of the pandemic, the Minister said Germany could strive to ensure the African continent had access to vaccines in any future pandemic, which is in line with the African Union goal of producing 60% of all vaccines needed in Africa by 2040.
Schulze added that treating Africa with “respect and fairness” was not only a moral obligation but also in Germany’s self-interest, as well as other European nations.
Germany will work in development cooperation to create sustainable jobs with fair wages in economic sectors that do not cause harm to the environment and climate, focusing on expanding renewable energies, waste recycling, wastewater recycling, vaccine production, water and sanitation.
While the Minister praised the strategy, Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU political opposition criticized the strategy saying it focused on buzzwords instead of concrete solutions for job creation, with the far-left Die Linke (The Left) opposition party also voicing objections.
Religious aid organizations Misereor and Bread for the World welcomed the Ministry’s strategy for Africa but said it lacked clear focus on pressing issues such as the fight against hunger, which has been of great concern over the years. “There are no statements in the strategy paper that would hold Germany and the EU accountable for measures to combat hunger,” the organization’s president, Pirmin Spiegel said.
Source:
https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-africa-aid-strategy-highlights-need-for-green-jobs/a-64502410