Global responsibility is perceived locally: This is a key understanding that marks the Federal States' efforts to maintain partnerships, to undertake development policy-related information and educational work, and to support citizens' commitment to our "One-World".
For over 50 years, the German Federal States have been making an active contribution to development policy. They focus their commitment on maintaining partnerships, providing development support for education and promoting civic engagement. Their core competencies and responsibilities are education, science and academia, culture, economy, migration, Good Governance and climate change. Great emphasis is put on co-operation in the educational field. Numerous students benefit yearly from scholarships and ex-change programs which open them the opportunity to expand their scientific knowledge and experience in Germany.
As a pioneer in this domain, the former Hessian Minister-President Georg August Zinn worked to establish an efficient public administration system in Ghana. Over the years, the mayor of Berlin, Willy Brandt, Minister-Presidents Johannes Rau, Lothar Späth and Bernhard Vogel as well as the Bremen mayors Hans Koschnik and Henning Scherf have also infused the development policy of the German Federal States with fresh ideas and energy. It is in this tradition that the joint Resolutions of the Minister-President conferences are to be understood. Minister-President of Lower-Saxony Stephan Weil is the current chairman of the conference.
This website of the German Federal States in Development Policy presents the respective development policy objectives and activities of the 16 Federal States. It provides an overview of the multi-facetted commitment and involvement of the Federal States and their desire to contribute to the formation of public policy. All the Resolutions of the Minister-President conferences since 1962 to date as well as the 16 presentations of development-related activities of the Federal States are unlisted here.