Context
Germany is the largest bilateral donor for the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV). Since the 1970s the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports UNV inter alia by placement of volunteers respectivly funding of volunteer assignments. On the basis of an agreement between the Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (German Development Service, DED) and UNV from the year 2003 ten German UN volunteers have been fully funded each year. In a pilot phase prerequisites were created to pursue and extend the cooperation with UNV under the new conditions following the merger of the three German development agencies. There are first positive signs for closer cooperation between bilateral and multilateral development cooperation in some countries of intervention.
Objectives
The cooperative relationship between UNV and GIZ in Germany as well as between UNV or other United Nations organizations and GIZ projects in the countries of intervention is improved.
Approach
The project provides financial and organizational support to UNV for the recruitment of mainly German volunteers. It primarily consists of a financial contribution to UNV and accompanying process consulting. UN volunteer assignments funded by the project will take place in countries where potential for synergies between bilateral and multilateral development cooperation has been identified based on a strategy paper.
Results
Maintaining the strategic cooperation with UNV, Germany as one of the locations of the United Nations makes a visible contribution to UNV and the UN family and thereby ensures reliability. Synergies between bilateral and multilateral development cooperation are generated.