Providing effective and efficient support to fragile countries and coherently linking humanitarian assistance, development cooperation and peacebuilding

Context

Around two-thirds of the partner countries of German development cooperation are considered fragile – and the trend is rising. Current crises are exacerbating the situation further. Fragility hinders a country’s long-term development. At the same time, the causes of fragility cannot be resolved without development.

A country is considered fragile if its government is unable or unwilling to fulfil basic duties in the areas of security, the rule of law and basic services. Economic, ecological and societal problems can also lead to fragility. In fragile countries, state institutions are often weak or at risk of collapse. People are often affected by poverty, violence or political arbitrariness. These conditions pose enormous challenges to development cooperation and jeopardise the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Objective

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) can respond better to the challenges in countries affected by fragility. This makes development cooperation more efficient and effective.

Approach

The programme advises BMZ on strategies and procedures for cooperation with fragile countries and combating the causes of fragility. It contributes to a better understanding of fragility and to developing effective measures to tackle its causes in the long term. There is a particular focus on improving the links between humanitarian assistance, development cooperation and peacebuilding, known as the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus (HDP nexus).

The programme also advises on cooperation with international partners and positioning in relevant forums. In these efforts, it cooperates with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations, European Union institutions, the World Bank, civil society organisations, think tanks and the research community.

Last update: June 2024