[ The Greens ]

Fair multilateralism

Ahead of Germany’s general election in September, D+C/E+Z asked the development spokespersons of the parties representend in the Bundestag to elaborate their programmatic ideas in a comment of up to 700 words. The authors are free to pick the topics, but the editor did suggest considering two controversial issues: What should be Germany’s role in multilateral, bilateral and European settings, and how should the country’s development agencies be organised for that purpose? Ute Kozcy of the Greens concludes the series. She argues that no field of policy can continue unchanged in view of massive global challenges such as climate change, rising food prices, scarcity of natural resources, an unfair world trade system, the worldwide financial and economic crisis and shifts in the balance of political and economic power. Urgent reforms are needed if development policy, as an area of foreign engagement, is to help make globalisation fair in the future.


[ By Ute Koczy ]

I believe that one of the primary tasks of development policy is to take a stand and insist that fundamental principles – human rights, justice, democracy and environmental sustainability – are observed as cornerstones of an international policy, which is geared towards peace. I see development policy as a core element of a global structural policy (global governance).

German development policy needs to bank on fair and effective multilater­alism. Any global structural policy will only be implemented successfully with the help of multilateral organisations. For instance, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should no longer be allowed to focus one-sidedly on trade liberalisation. The Greens want to see environmental and social standards, which are generally accepted, enshrined in trade rules. Otherwise, trade liberalisation will make real development impossible.

Fair globalisation also requires better international institutions. The days of the cosy exclusivity of the G8 club are over. The G20 is a more representative forum, but it also excludes many nations from decision making. I therefore welcome initiatives to give all parts of the world a fair say in the system of global governance. Such initiatives include, for example, the creation of a new world economic council to rank alongside the Security Council at the UN. It should have the democratic legitimacy to coordinate international economic and financial policy better, as well as to set ­
up environmental and social guardrails for globalisation. Germany must play a constructive role in all these reform processes.

Policies on trade, finance, economy, environment and development have to be parts of an integrated, coherent approach. But coherence does not only appear alien to those who draft Germany’s foreign policy, they actually seem to consider the notion itself somewhat absurd. A particularly inglorious proof lies in the EU’s agricultural export subsidies which severely distort markets in developing countries.

For foreign policymaking to be effective, the action of all ministries must be orchestrated well. Team spirit in itself will never do to ensure a successful international performance. A competent director and well-written lines for the players are also necessary. The Chancellery is where progressive foreign policymaking must be coordinated. But as long as ministers basically continue to compete with one another on the world stage, Germany’s contribution to tackling global crises will be curtailed. That must change.

In my view, institutional reforms are still on the agenda. We want to merge existing bodies into a national development agency and thus reorganise the system by which the German government implements programmes. Successfully combining financial and technical cooperation without compromising the strengths of the present institutions would be an important step towards greater transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. From a Green perspective, the German Development Ministry should concentrate on setting the agenda, but not micromanage activities on the ground. Responsibility for specific decisions at country level needs to be defined clearly, but authority must be decentralised to permit short, fast routes to better results.

The Greens want development policy to continue to be handled by a separate ministry. Any change in this respect would mean the loss of a constructive and effective major policymaking tool. I believe more effort is needed to gear international policy more closely to the needs of the most vulnerable people – especially in the areas of climate and environmental protection, renewable energies, rural development, civil conflict prevention and social safety nets.

D+C, 2009/09, Debate, Page 348