ISSUE 03–04/14 The GIZ Magazine Europe Building a common future OTHER TOPICS: Education: What is drawing young Malaysians to Germany? Economy: How specialists are opening doors in Chile CONTENTS EUROPE: Jean-Claude Juncker referred to Europe as a ‘peace machine’. S TOUTH-EAS AsiA: New livelihoods But what is the future for Europe and the EU? 31 ten years after the tsunami IN THE SPOTLIGHT OPINION 8 Success down south 24 Integration: the European model 3 RIGHT) Gilbert Khadiagala on the importance of Baden-Württemberg and Malaysia have AGE been working in partnership for over the European Union for regional integra- 15 years to train Malaysian engineers. tion in Africa IN FOCUS COMMITMENT 28 Opening doors around the world 12 Europe Working at the interface between Unfinished agenda development policy and foreign trade 3 LEFT), GIZ/KARSTEN THORMAEHLEN (P AGE COMPANY PROFILE In focus: Europe can only exist if there promotion is a spirit of partnership. But its The Deutsche Gesellschaft für principal partners are still struggling to 31 Ten years on Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) find sustainable European answers How new structures have emerged GmbH offers sustainable and to key issues. ten years after the tsunami. effective solutions for political, Interview: Angela Filote, Head of the EU 2 LEFT), DIETER HERRMANN (P economic and social change Commission Representation in Romania 34 Urgent issues AGE processes. GIZ is a federal enter- Overview: Examples of GIZ’s work Despite much success, hunger remains prise that employs more than Figures: Europe – destination for a global challenge. 16,000 staff members and operates migrants, springboard for energy reforms in over 130 countries worldwide. 36 Working for the future A visit to Badakhshan shows life www.giz.de/en in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the German Bundeswehr. (P TANER GETTY IMAGES/MURAT PHOTOS: 2 akzente 03–04/14 EditoriAL DEAR READER, Over half a century has passed since Robert Schuman and the other founding fathers laid the cornerstone for a common Europe. It has been a work in progress ever since. Time and again, the European project has been redeveloped, extended and renovated. So what stage has construction work reached today? Are we still exca- vating and pouring the foundations? Or are we already choosing the furnishings? Have building plans had to be modified? Is the structural design still holding up? How solid is the basic framework? Eurosceptics, today more numerous than ever, even question whether there is a common foundation at all. The stability and sustainability of the European Union also depends on its neighbours. In times of globalisation that does not simply mean those countries right next door. Conflict or natural disaster in any location in the world also can AfghAnistAN: Inspiring affect Europe. Security, climate change, energy supply – the seed for Europe’s credibility 36 stories from Badakhshan is being sown in places as far flung as Mali, Bangladesh and Brazil. Our cover story looks at the current status of the European ‘structure’ and identifies some of the challenges now facing the union – both internally and externally. As Gilbert Khad- iagala’s opinion article shows, the EU model informs the architecture of other regional al- liances. In this issue’s interview, Angela Filote, Head of the EU Commission Representa- 40 An advocate for women tion in Romania, also explains that the bonds of marriage are closer than ever despite the 3 RIGHT) Nino Elbakidze is committed to strength- seven-year itch. AGE ening women’s rights in Georgia. This issue’s reports from abroad take us to Chile and Afghanistan. A report from Georgia illustrates how women’s rights are being promoted. We also show how people in South- BACKGROUND East Asia reclaimed their personal documents and birth certificates following the flooding 42 Close to the action caused by the tsunami. GIZ development workers are assigned as experts for specific periods and share As ever, I hope you find this issue both interesting and informative. 3 LEFT), GIZ/KARSTEN THORMAEHLEN (P their knowledge with local people. AGE INTRODUCING 46 Jasmin Freischlad, Administrative reform expert 2 LEFT), DIETER HERRMANN (P Dorothee Hutter AGE Director of Corporate Communications OTHER SECTIONS 4 In brief: News, sustainability 26 Through the lens: White gold 44 Info: Recommended reading and events 47 Authors and photographers featured in this issue, preview PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES/MURAT TANER (P TANER GETTY IMAGES/MURAT PHOTOS: akzente 03–04/14 3 IN BRIEF Germany and China boost cooperation on e-mobility INNOVATION Together with Miao Wei, the Chinese Minister for Industry and Informa- tion Technology, German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched an electromobility project during her seventh trip to China in July. The project is coordinated by GIZ. Electromobility is a key part of the strate- gic partnership between Germany and China, and an important focus of innovation. It aims to ensure that private purchasers of electric cars in China have more efficient and reliable options for charging their vehicles. A lack of appropriate charging stations is currently hampering the development of electromobil- ity in China. ‘Our aim is to ensure that the in- novative technology finds broad-based accept- ance,’ Chancellor Merkel said. GIZ was commissioned with coordinat- ing this joint project on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy German Chancellor Angela Merkel presents the Sino-German partnership in Beijing. and the Federal Ministry for the Environ- ment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety. Business partners from the addition to renowned Chinese and German results and recommendations of the first private sector include four German and five partners from the fields of science and project phase are expected towards the end Chinese automobile manufacturers – in politics at the national and local level. The of this year. Commitment to sustainability AWARD This year’s B.A.U.M. Environmental Award went to Tanja Gönner, the Chair of GIZ’s 100,000 Management Board. She described the award as ‘a fantastic acknowledgement of GIZ’s commit- ment and work to foster sustainability’. For the last 30 years, the German Association of Environ- 5) AGE NETWORKERS in 190 countries are already mental Management (B.A.U.M. e.V.) has recognised the work of individuals responsible for suc- using the Alumniportal Deutschland. cessfully implementing environmental and sustainability management within companies and or- The platform is geared to people who have ganisations. A lawyer by training, Ms Gönner has long been known for her commitment to studied, worked or carried out research sustainability, both as a founding member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable in Germany. The social network allows users Development, which allowed her to mainstream the issue of sustainability at parliamentary level, LACKOVIC (P 4), DAVID AGE to forge new contacts, exchange information and during her time as Minister of the Environment in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. on exciting projects and ideas and in so At GIZ, sustainability is both an obligation and a mission. ‘It is at the heart of the ser- doing foster links with Germany. The Alumni- vices we deliver around the world,’ said Ms Gönner. ‘We offer our partners and commission- portal signed up its 100,000th member ing parties viable solutions for the future. We also practise what we preach in partner coun- in August. tries. We believe that it is important to act sustainably as a company.’ www.alumniportal-deutschland.de/en www.baumev.de PHOTOS: GERMAN GOVERNMENT/KUGLER (P PHOTOS: 4 akzente 03–04/14 A leg up for young engineers > NEW PROJECTS SKILLED LABOUR Thirty would-be engineers as part of the German Government’s cam- Riester pension from India, Viet Nam and Indonesia spent paign to recruit more skilled labour.’ three months cramming up on German gram- Before embarking on a traineeship, the DEMOCRatIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO mar and vocabulary in their home countries young people took part in a one-month inten- Germany’s Riester pension model is before embarking on a traineeship with a Ger- sive course at the Kolping Bildungswerk in to be introduced in the DR Congo. man company in September. As graduates of Stuttgart, where in addition to studying tech- The objective is to create a national mathematics, information technology, natural nical terminology and learning how to behave pension fund for civil servants. sciences and technology, the participants are appropriately in the workplace, they were GIZ International Services was com- involved in the ‘Make it in Germany’ pro- shown how to increase their chances of success missioned by the Ministry of Public gramme, an initiative of the Federal Ministry when applying for a job. The course is fi- Service and Administration of the for Economic Affairs and Energy. ‘Germany nanced by the German Federal Office for Mi- DR Congo and by the World Bank to currently has a shortage of suitably qualified gration and Refugees with funding from the introduce the pension fund. skilled workers,’ explains Reinhild Ernst from European Social Fund. GIZ. ‘In order to attract talented people from all over the world to work in Germany we are Social standards supporting the portal “Make it in Germany” www.make-it-in-germany.com/en BANGLADESH The Lidl Foundation is Looking forward to a trainee- set to continue its cooperation with ship with a German company: GIZ International Services in Bangla- young skilled workers from desh’s textile sector. A follow-up India, Viet Nam and Indonesia contract worth over EUR 7.1 million has been signed, guaranteeing support to 15 supplier operations from 2014 until 2016. In addition to promoting so- cial standards and supporting fire protection and the health of workers, the project also aims to advance the interests of women.