Germany re-brands development assistance organisations

Accra, Oct. 6, GNA - The German Government has established German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) to be responsible for its international technical assistance cooperation, Mr Hans Christian Winkler, Charge d' Affaires at the German Embassy in Accra, has said. Mr Winkler, who was addressing a reception to mark the 20 years of German re-unification on Monday, said GIZ would take over the work hitherto carried out by GTZ (German Technical Cooperation); KfW (Entwicklungsbank); DED (German Development Service) CIM (human resources placement organisation for German Development Cooperation) and InWent (non-profit international capacity-building organisation). He said the GIZ would continue with the outstanding work that the various organisations were doing, "while we hope for efficiency gains and streamlined delivery of programmes".

Mr Winkler said his country was grateful for the long lasting friendship and support it had enjoyed from many countries since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany. He said: "Germany promised that, in return for unity in freedom, it would be solidly integrated into Europe and the international community. We will keep that promise. Over the years, together with our European partners, we have achieved a great deal in Europe. Today 500 million Europeans from 27 countries live in European Union in peace and freedom, The European Union is a unique, successful and reconciliation and peace project."

Mr Winkler said Germany was committed to making the world more peaceful and pleasant, adding; "German policy is peace policy", stressing "we are facing numerous challenges that we in our globalised world can only tackle together. Disarmament, climate change, energy supply and demographic development are only a few of the major issues Europe and the world must address in the future".

The Leader of the Ghanaian Delegation on the occasion and Deputy Minister of Information, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng said Ghana looked forward to the deepening of economic ties with Germany as the country prepared to commence the commercial production of oil with regard to German investment and technology in the Sector.

He said; "The German Government committed 130 million Euros in technical and financial support for Ghana for the 2009-2011 fiscal years in the midst of severe global economic recession," adding, "Germany continues to provide direct budgetary support to Ghana within the framework of Multi-Donor Budgetary Support, including additional 55 million Euros pledged in September 2009".

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said the presence of German businesses in Ghana was indicative of German confidence in the Ghanaian economy and expressed the hope that more German investors would partner their Ghanaian counterparts in the service and manufacturing sectors. He said Ghana appreciated the German Government's assistance to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in the training of Ghanaian and African military and civilian personnel in the area of peacekeeping and peace building.

The new German Ambassador-designate to Ghana, Mr Eberhard Schanze and his wife Zahra were present. Lufthansa German Airlines and Volkswagen, both German companies, supported the event.