We are currently experiencing a period of profound political upheaval. The balance of power is shifting and alliances that were thought to be secure are showing cracks. The rules-based world order is coming under pressure. Conflicts, economic rivalries and strategic interests are increasingly shaping the relationship between states and regions. Alongside Western countries and China, countries in the Global South are gaining influence. This multipolar dynamic is creating new opportunities for cooperation, but it also brings new challenges.
Peace as the foundation for a secure future
Security cannot be achieved single-handedly. GIZ works together with partners to promote peace and seek lasting solutions to crises – because stability on the ground means security for all.
Continuing dialogue, finding solutions together
The importance of peace and security to human beings, development and prosperity becomes particularly apparent in troubled times, making it all the more crucial for states to work together to identify solutions that prevent violence and create trust.
GIZ is an experienced and reliable partner in this regard. We work around the world to defuse and address conflicts, because development is pivotal for peace. We promote stability and create long-term prospects for people in regions that are under threat.
GIZ: Creating prospects through reconstruction
The objective in the aftermath of violent conflicts is not only to repair obvious damage but to look at what people need in the long term in order to live. Essentials such as housing, clean water, energy and roads are often lacking, as too are properly functioning schools and public health services. Reconstruction provides an opportunity to create sustainable and just structures that are better able to withstand future crises. GIZ is working in many countries to address this issue.
Tanja Lohmann, Country Director GIZ Syria, on reconstruction in Syria involving genuine transformation.
In Syria, we are establishing health care provision as swiftly as possible while also introducing new, modern standards. Our hospital partnership brings together experts from Germany and Syria, who are working towards this goal.
Tanja Lohmann, GIZ Country Director Syria, talks about the specific work that GIZ is doing in the country.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine GIZ is supporting reconstruction amid the war. Keeping the energy system running with the help of sustainable, distributed power plants and supporting education and health care facilities are just two examples.
An unprecedented number of conflicts
The number of armed conflicts is at its highest since the Second World War. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), one in four people now live in fragile contexts, which is why it is important to create stable living conditions. GIZ is taking action to this end on a number of fronts. As well as assisting with accommodation for refugees and displaced persons and with reintegrating returnees, we support businesses and foster understanding between different population groups.
Sahel region – stabilisation under difficult circumstances
Armed groups, political unrest and repeated military coups are causing instability in West Africa. The situation is exacerbated further by poverty and the consequences of climate change. Better social and economic prospects can help make these regions more stable and secure. On the southern edge of the Sahel, GIZ is working on behalf of the European Union and the German Government to bring stakeholders from different countries together around one table. In the region between Guinea, Mali and Senegal, for instance, we are promoting dialogue between local governments and supporting border communities in progressing economically.
Creating water security
Natural resources, especially water, must be used sustainably to generate stability. According to a United Nations study, water is not just scarce; the world is already in a state of water ‘bankruptcy’. Many rivers, aquifers and ecosystems are being depleted faster than they can regenerate. This is fuelling disputes both locally and regionally.
Cross-border agreements between riparian states and joint water management can act as countermeasures. The Lake Chad Basin in the heart of Africa is one of the continent’s largest water catchment areas, and a good example. GIZ is assisting partners with peaceful and sustainable use of Lake Chad’s water resources, thus bringing greater stability to the Sahel region.
The same is true at local level: where water is scarce, conflicts arise. In Mali, a Sahelian country in West Africa, GIZ therefore embraces comprehensive solutions, addressing issues that range from access to water sources to strengthening local communities.
Security in the Indo-Pacific – stronger together
GIZ’s commitment to greater security is not just about building peaceful and sustainable structures. The threats have become more complex, often stemming from cyber-attacks, drones or disinformation campaigns, also known as fake news. Hybrid scenarios of this sort are particularly dangerous because they pair new technologies and strategies, thus circumventing conventional security mechanisms.
GIZ has also positioned itself as an expert partner for hybrid threats. On behalf of the European Union, the German Federal Foreign Office and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, GIZ and its French counterpart act as intermediaries between European and Asian security forces.
‘Europe and the Pacific have more in common than it might seem. Economically, but also in matters of security. For example, in the case of hybrid threats such as cyber-attacks or fake news. This is where GIZ can help to develop countermeasures.’
Trust between Germany and countries in the Indo-Pacific has flourished over the years. GIZ has played a decisive role in this regard, a fact underlined by Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in an interview with GIZ.
Our work promoting peace, security and stability is more important today than it has ever been. If we act together, we can mitigate crises, build trust and achieve stable living conditions, allowing people to live in safety – both in the region and in Germany and Europe.
GIZ works worldwide - for this project here:
This project focuses on the following GIZ work priorities:
The project contributes to these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations:
