
INGRID-GABRIELA HOVEN
Member of the management board of GIZ
(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
“Transparent and fair supply chains play a key role”
The international community is currently facing multiple overlapping crises. The number of authoritarian and fragile states is increasing. Many industrialised countries are facing major financial and domestic political challenges. In light of these challenges, what would constitute an effective approach to supporting countries in the Global South, in terms of sustainable social and economic development? We discussed this issue with Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, a member of both the management board of GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and the board of trustees of the Aid by Trade Foundation.
Ms Hoven, the sheer number of crises in the world is posing an immense challenge, particularly for economically weaker countries in the Global South, creating new hotspots and threatening to spark a vicious cycle. In light of these difficult political circumstances, is there a future-proof approach to international cooperation that can offer disadvantaged countries, for example those south of the Sahara, new opportunities for development?
In these times, international cooperation is especially important because it offers stability and can prevent conflicts. We face multiple crises building on each other: climate change, wars, conflicts, and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. These overlapping crises are weakening democracy and participation. Their impact is setting back development of the Global South in many ways, for example in education and health. This situation also creates challenges for us at GIZ. We are supporting people in the Global South as they undertake necessary, farreaching processes of transformation, which encompass a broad spectrum of areas including energy, agriculture, transportation, nutrition, and resource management. Our absolute priority is to ensure that the shift towards a resource-efficient economy and society is made in a fair way: a just transition. Achieving this requires involving the private sector and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital revolution.
GIZ’s work is also changing. In 2015, all member countries of the United Nations signed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. What do its 17 sustainability goals mean for GIZ’s work?
The agenda guides our work. It is an important yardstick for international cooperation. The more Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we achieve, the more we can reduce the risks of crises and fragility throughout the world. Agenda 2030 is an agenda for achieving peace and security; however, we still have a long way to go. According to the United Nations, only around 15 percent of the 140 targets for which data is available are on track. To achieve the SDGs, all parts of society need to work together. Industrialised countries have a clear responsibility to promote development worldwide and to build longterm resilience in all countries and societies. As we look into the future, it is already clear that, rather than isolating each goal from the others, we need to reinforce the connections between them.
What role do civil society stakeholders and foundations like the Aid by Trade Foundation play in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and in GIZ’s work?
Foundations are a mainstay of civil society. As key drivers of social change, they are pivotal to the success of the SDGs. I am thrilled to see foundations playing a growing role in making progress towards the SDGs. For us at GIZ, they are natural partners due to significant overlaps in the issues we address and the objectives we pursue. GIZ’s partnerships with foundations allow us jointly to build on existing projects, expand our scope, and reach more people. GIZ’s presence in project countries and regions also complements the foundations’ strengths and expertise.
Is development policy’s decades-old focus on development through trade losing ground due to the changes currently taking place?
No, global trade is and will remain relevant. It can make an important contribution to economic development and poverty reduction if structured sustainably and fairly. This means that the population reaps benefits, the environment is not harmed, and people are able to work under fair conditions, which include receiving a living wage. Value creation within and between countries in the Global South should also be strengthened, with transparent and fair supply chains playing a key role. This is why we as GIZ engage in this area, and we are joined in our efforts by partners throughout the world, including the Aid by Trade Foundation. In addition, digitalisation is opening up new possibilities for international trade, for example through digital services.