Over the last decades, and in line with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, cities and regions have played an important part in helping to implement global agendas at local level through their Decentralised Development Cooperation (DDC) activities.

German federal states and municipalities have engaged in decentralised development co-operation (DDC) since the 1950s. Together, they provide over half of total official development assistance (ODA) in the world.

German federal states and municipalities have engaged in decentralised development co-operation (DDC) since the 1950s. Together, they provide over half of total official development assistance (ODA) in the world. However, most of this support remains within German borders. To incentivise further international partnerships, the federal government has established dedicated programmes and financial support schemes for states and municipalities. This report presents key data on the DDC landscape in Germany and offers guidance on how to strengthen its role in enabling peer-to-peer learning and improve collaboration between German states and municipalities. It also showcases how to further raise awareness about the mutual benefits of DDC partnerships, including through better ODA data reporting and a harmonised approach to monitoring and evaluating its results across levels of government.

Digital transformation is revolutionising economies and societies with rapid technological advances in AI, robotics and the Internet of Things. Low and middle-income countries are struggling to gain a foothold in the global digital economy in the face of limited digital capacity, skills, and fragmented global and regional rules.

City-to-city partnerships and decentralised development co-operation (DDC) can play a key role in advancing the SDGs and in addressing global megatrends, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks. This report discusses the framework conditions for effective city-to-city partnerships and takes stock of existing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

This book analyses steps taken by Germany to reviatlise city centres against the background of features specific to Germany: its federal system, the unification process, and its polycentric urban pattern.

This book analyses steps taken by Germany to reviatlise city centres against the background of features specific to Germany: its federal system, the unification process, and its polycentric urban pattern.