Bonn: German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23661/bp3.2020
Dt. Ausg. u.d.T.:
Der Vertrag von Aachen 2019: Ansätze zur Stärkung der deutsch-französischen Zusammenarbeit für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung
(Analysen und Stellungnahmen 2/2020)
Franz. Ausg. u.d.T.:
Le traité d’Aix-la-Chapelle de 2019: des opportunités pour renforcer la coopération franco-allemande en matière de développement durable
(Briefing Paper 4/2020)
On 22 January 2019, France and Germany signed the Aachen Treaty. Therein, 56 years after the Elysée Treaty, re-emphasising their support for multilateralism, sustainable development and development cooperation.
Despite the ambitions expressed in this document, the signing of the Treaty calls for reflection: to what extent does this type of agreement indeed lead to joint operational approaches and have a real impact on French–German cooperation?
To answer this question, this Briefing Paper analyses the obstacles to a closer French–German cooperation in the field of sustainable international development. It focuses on how these commitments are put into practice at the level of political coordination and project implementation. The analysis is based on about 20 interviews with representatives of French and German ministries, development agencies and think tanks. It finds that things get most complicated at the level of political coordination.
Three main obstacles are identified: slightly diverging strategic visions; an incompatibility between institutional structures concerning the degree of specialisation and the mandates of the ministries responsible for steering aid, as well as the degree to which development agencies are involved in strategic decision-making; and cultural particularities regarding communication and time management. Five recommendations are proposed:
Protect what has been achieved: the alignment between France and Germany at the political and project implementation levels is an asset in an international context where the focus on national interests is increasing. Such cooperation should thus continue to be supported and reinforced.