South Africa and Germany Reinforce Strategic Development Initiatives.

Berlin: South Africa and Germany have solidified their commitment to collaborate on key development issues including economic growth and climate change mitigation. This renewed commitment was formalized during the 2024 Intergovernmental Negotiations on South African-German Development Cooperation, which took place in Berlin from November 25 to 27, 2024.

According to South African Government News Agency, the negotiations saw participation from officials of Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and South Africa’s National Treasury. Germany pledged additional funding of EUR276.5 million (approximately R5.2 billion) for the period from 2024 to 2026, aimed at addressing shared development goals.

Both nations reaffirmed their dedication to four key areas of bilateral cooperation: fostering peaceful and inclusive societies; advancing climate energy and the just transition; supporting sustainable economic development, training, and employment; and improving health and pandemic responses,
as highlighted by the National Treasury’s statement.

The BMZ identified the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P) as a significant milestone in their collaboration, underscoring Germany’s commitment to aiding South Africa’s transition to climate neutrality. This partnership focuses on ensuring that the transition is equitable, safeguarding the livelihoods and economic stability of communities reliant on coal.

Additionally, both countries aim to expand their cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skills development. These efforts will be bolstered by new initiatives designed to create pathways from education to employment. In light of South Africa’s strides in governance and the fight against gender-based violence, Germany also committed to further support in violence prevention, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) implementation, and anti-corruption measures.

Celebrating over 30 years of joint development efforts, both South Africa and Germany recognize the importanc
e of their partnership in advancing mutual interests. With South Africa’s upcoming G20 Presidency, the two countries expressed enthusiasm for deepening cooperation on global issues, especially in combating climate change and promoting just energy transitions.