Know-how transfer of German Associations and Chambers
German chambers and associations, unions as well as the Sparkassen Finanzgruppe are important partners in German development cooperation. The focus is on advising other chambers and associations in the foreign partner countries. These are supported in order to better represent the local economy in the long-term and to strengthen practice-oriented education and training.
An institutional partnership between the business community in Germany and in developing or emerging countries is always a strategic decision: it should be long-term and cooperative in order to transfer knowledge and improve the framework conditions in the partner countries. The Agency for Business and Economic Development supports German chambers and associations in developing ideas for future projects. The practical implementation of the projects takes place within the framework of various programmes through the non-profit development organisation sequa gGmbH and German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation.
Through the transfer of knowledge, the chambers and associations in the partner countries can better fulfill their role as representatives of the local business community and thus in turn provide more needs-based support to local companies. The internationally active member companies of the German chambers and associations also benefit from the institutional cooperation in the medium and long term: in the partner countries, structures are established, processes optimised, services developed - in short, the framework conditions for projects and investments are also improved.
KVP Programme: Partnerships for Chambers and Associations
In the context of the Chamber and Association Partnership Programme (KVP), the German business community cooperates with chambers and associations in partner countries. It contributes its competencies and know-how to support the development of the private sector. This is done through the institutional strengthening of local institutions - both as providers of business-related services and as stakeholders of small and medium-sized enterprises.
First and foremost, the aim is to support local chambers and, for example, to develop certain services such as trade fair promotion, vocational education and training or business start-up programmes. This enables local chambers to generate income, establish themselves sustainably and provide targeted support to their members locally.
Within the framework of the KVP, the German Sparkassenstiftung makes available the knowledge and expertise of the German Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe on financial inclusion in partner countries in order to promote local economic development through socio-ecological change and responsible entrepreneurship, thus contributing to the fulfilment of the SDGs.
The development organisation of German industry, sequa, and the German Sparkassenstiftung are implementing the Chamber and Association Partnership Programme with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
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- Organisational development of local partner organisations,
- Development of services for enterprises,
- Support in advocacy for better economic framework conditions.
Vocational Education and Training Partnerships: a Model of Practice-oriented Education and Training
The Vocational Education and Training Partnerships (BBP) aims to improve vocational education and training in cooperation countries. Practice-oriented qualification and the catering of initial and continuing training to the needs of the local labour market contribute to economic development in the partner countries.
The aim of the BBP projects is to support partner countries in the sense of greater participation of the local economy and higher practical orientation of initial and continuing vocational education and training. To this end, the projects use the VET know-how of German chambers and associations as well as their VET institutions. These support selected partner organisations such as vocational schools, chambers and associations in introducing practice- and demand-oriented VET locally.
Here, the dual training system in Germany serves as a model that is adapted to local conditions.
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- Improving the organisational structure of vocational training institutions
- Improving training content and methods
- Introduction of practice-oriented pilot training courses in new occupational fields
- Advising partner institutions on the development of qualification and examination standards
The development organisation of German industry, sequa, implements the vocational education and training partnerships with funding from the BMZ.
Trade Union Partnerships
German trade unions can also receive funding through sequa for the implementation of their own partnership projects with trade union organisations.
Programme as part of the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition": PartnerAfrica
The BMZ has launched the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition" with Africa's reforming countries. The aim is to strengthen the conditions for private investment and create better employment opportunities for the fast-growing, young population in Africa.
The Special Initiative is being implemented in eight African countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia.
With the PartnerAfrica programme, the BMZ openes up the Special Initiative to projects by chambers and associations. Projects to be funded should either contribute to business-oriented vocational training, reduce investment barriers for companies or improve the advisory services offered by local chambers for companies, and should be geared as far as possible to the priority sectors and business locations of the Special Initiative. Close cooperation with enterprises is desired.
German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chamber of Crafts and business associations can propose projects for the new special programme PartnerAfrica. The application and implementation are carried out by sequa.
sequa gGmbH: Partner of German Economy
sequa gGmbH is a globally active, non-profit development organisation. It has been organising international cooperation programmes and projects in close cooperation with the German business community since 1991. Its shareholders are the four umbrella organisations of German business: the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), and since 2010 also the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. sequa thus combines the know-how and networks of German business and German development cooperation. In the programmes, it works closely with its shareholders and their members.