Stories by region: Europe

Germany will be hosting the third Global Disability Summit on the inclusion of persons with disabilities. akzente answers the most important questions on the summit.

Antje von Dewitz is Managing Director of the successful German outdoor brand VAUDE. In this interview with akzente, the entrepreneur talks about the corporate identity of the family business, cooperation with GIZ, and the Green Button and Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST) initiatives.

Albania will take centre stage as the official host country at the ITB 2025 travel trade show in Berlin. Located in the Western Balkans, Albania has so much to offer visitors. GIZ is supporting a number of local partners to ensure that the upsurge in tourism also benefits rural areas. A visit to the cultural and architectural heart of northern Albania.

My name is Maksym Vernyhora and I am working on a GIZ mental health project in Ukraine.

Kosovo’s Government is focusing on innovation and digitalisation in government and the economy. In the interview, Lulëzon Jagxhiu, advisor to Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti, discusses the role played by the Innovation and Training Park in Prizren. The transformation of the former Bundeswehr military camp into a civilian economic and educational centre is a German-Kosovar initiative.

How a barracks in Kosovo became an attractive centre for business and training: we visit the Innovation and Training Park (ITP) Prizren. With GIZ support, it has become one of the most important hubs for innovation in the Western Balkans.

I’m Sarah Schmidt and I work as an advisor for the GIZ Fund for International Agricultural Research (FIA). What’s our goal?

My name is Matthias Militzer. I returned to Germany at the end of last year, having spent many exciting years working as a GIZ risk manager in Afghanistan and South Sudan.

My name is Duygu Baydilli and I work in the Construction Section at GIZ. Together with more than 40 colleagues, I advise, review and approve construction projects across the world.

Martha Gutierrez explains how GIZ evaluates its work, what it learns from such evaluations and why no policy area in Germany is more scrutinised.

A reality check for young German companies: the Cologne-based start-up Detechgene was one of 10 German firms that took part in the exchange programme between Nigeria and North Rhine-Westphalia. In this interview, co-founder Robin Bayer and employee Kai Wageringel talk about their experiences.

How is Moldova countering the threat posed by complex disinformation and foreign influence campaigns? Former Minister of Internal Affairs in Moldova Ana Revenco shares some insights into strategies and examples of international cooperation.