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The GIZ Story Portal

Welcome to the GIZ Story Portal. We invite you to explore GIZ’s work worldwide, get to know fascinating people, and learn about leading experts’ views on crucial topics in international cooperation.

Lacina Koné und Anna Sophie Herken
Interview

‘The old Africa does not exist anymore’

From dependency to digital sovereignty: Africa is redefining its place in the global technology order. Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO of Smart Africa, and Anna Sophie Herken, GIZ Managing Director, speak with us about why Europe and Africa must act together and why both continents have more to gain than they realise.
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A lone hiker stands on a white rocky plateau overlooking forested mountain ranges in the background.
Report

Peaks of the Balkans – how an idea got off the ground

The Peaks of the Balkans long-distance hiking trail connects Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. Initiated with the support of GIZ, the trail is today considered a model of sustainable tourism – and one that has long since become a destination among German tour operators.
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Three men in suits stand in a modern building while the man in the middle gestures upward with a raised hand.
Interview

‘Interest in Africa is growing rapidly’

Heiko Schwiderowski is the Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and Development Cooperation at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and a member of the GIZ Private Sector Advisory Board. He sees good prospects for the German economy in Africa – but, at the same time, many hurdles.
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Spotlight on water

Infographic

Water for all

Clean water cannot be taken for granted. Water scarcity threatens billions of people. Our infographic highlights the challenges and possible solutions.

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Grafik mit einer Weltkugel in einer Landschaft
Background

The most important questions on the global water crisis

The world is overusing its water resources. At the same time, many people still do not have an adequate clean water supply. The 2026 UN Water Conference aims to find solutions. Answers to the most important questions on the water crisis:

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water canister
Interview

‘Water cooperation can greatly defuse conflicts’

Susanne Schmeier is Professor of Water Cooperation, Law and Diplomacy in the Netherlands. Her research shows that conflicts over water can be managed proactively – ideally with international support.

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Susanne Schmeier
Background

The global water crisis affects us all

Climate change and overuse are making water a scarce resource. Our colleague Dieter Rothenberger explains how GIZ is working to tackle this crisis. He coordinates the projects with which we improve water and sanitation provision across the globe.

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Illustration einer Person im Profil mit überlagerten Recycling-Pfeilen und Globus-Symbol, umgeben von Wellenlinien, Wolken, Sonne und Blättern als Darstellung der globalen Wasserkrise.

Introducing: Faces of GIZ

A smiling woman wearing a yellow scarf stands on a narrow path in a lush green garden filled with plants and flowers.

Hello from Suva

My name is Anina Vontobel. I am from Switzerland and have been working for GIZ for more than ten years now.
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Portrait of a smiling person with long dark hair holding a soccer ball under one arm against a gray background.

Hello from Amman

My name is Maryana Al-Haddad. My path to GIZ has been rather unusual: for almost ten years, I played as goalkeeper for the Jordanian national team.

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Ein Mann mit Bart in beigem Blazer und weißem T-Shirt spricht gestikulierend vor einem blau-schwarz gemusterten Wandgemälde.

Hello from Brasília

My name is Anderson Falcão. I am responsible for the strategies in the areas of communication, digital transformation and information technology at GIZ Brazil.

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Signs of the circular economy

A woman crouches on a beach at sunset next to a bag filled with collected cans and plastic bottles, looking out at the sea.
Marine conservation in Mexico also benefits the seas in Europe: ocean currents connect the oceans, meaning that microplastics and litter are carried around the globe. The Mexican state of Oaxaca is particularly hard hit by the plastic crisis due to urbanisation, population growth and landfill sites near rivers. On behalf of the German Federal Environment Ministry, GIZ has been working there with local authorities and the fisheries and tourism sectors. As a result, plastic consumption by participating hotels has reduced by a third. The lessons learned in Oaxaca are being incorporated into Mexico’s circular economy strategy.
© GIZ
Two men smiling while examining a computer motherboard at an e-waste market.
A blueprint for a genuine circular economy: in the ‘Computer Village’ in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos, local traders collect discarded laptops, PCs and mobile phones. The valuable materials are then sent to professional recyclers. In return, the traders receive a bonus already been factored into the price when a new device is sold in the Global North. The motto is: ‘Put one on the market, recycle one.’ GIZ developed the model together with partners.
© George Osodi/GIZ
Close-up of gloved hands using a screwdriver to disassemble an electronic circuit board from a discarded device.
What began as a pilot project for the circular economy in Nigeria’s ‘Computer Village’ has since become a model for how proper recycling can be financed. The PREVENT Waste Alliance shares these experiences and expertise with circular economy specialists worldwide. The PREVENT Secretariat is managed by GIZ. The Alliance comprises organisations from the academic sector, civil society, public institutions and the private sector – for example, German waste management companies.
© George Osodi/GIZ
A diver with an underwater light hovers above a colourful coral reef featuring orange, red and pink corals.
Protecting underwater treasures: preserving marine biodiversity is crucial for the global climate, because the oceans absorb large quantities of CO₂. In South-East Asia, GIZ is working alongside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to protect the oceans and coral reefs. Marine biodiversity is particularly rich in the region, but is simultaneously threatened by plastic waste that flows from land into the ocean.
© picture alliance/Reinhard Dirscherl
A group of women in orange high-visibility vests sorting plastic waste together at an outdoor collection point.
GIZ is assisting ASEAN member states in working together to tackle the problem of marine litter. Lessons learned from local pilot projects are being shared, which will then contribute to the protection of the entire Indo-Pacific maritime region. The total coastline of the ASEAN states is approximately 130,000 kilometres.
© 3RproMar/GIZ
Top-down view of closely arranged green and yellow glass bottles illuminated from below.
From waste to recyclable material: in Albania, glass bottles are not usually recycled. On behalf of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, GIZ is supporting the Western Balkan country in establishing a circular economy – a step in the EU accession process. Bottles are systematically recycled or upcycled into filter materials.
© iStock/Rafa Jodar
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Integrated Company Report 2025

Successful and sustainable international cooperation requires intensive collaboration.
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