Co-operations have always been an important instrument for the German Development Service (DED) and have gained importance in the last couple of years. To increase results and sustainability in development co-operation but also to minimize transaction costs DED has decreased the number of isolated workplaces for the benefit of larger coordinated programs in the partner countries.  In this consequence the number of agreements and co-operations with different organizations of development co-operation have increased. Additionally DED integrated into its headquarters a new desk called international co-operation. This desk supports the decentralized country offices and the headquarters as well as bi- and multilateral partners as a service unit and entry point related to co-operations.

Financing of projects within co-operations normally comes from resources of local partner organizations or is guaranteed through national or international donor agencies. These financial resources from other donor agencies in projects supported by the German Development Service often are the prerequisites for the implementation of a project as such.  This kind of co-operation is normally laid down in a memorandum of understanding which can vary strongly depending on the project in question. However the services of DED can be considerably extended if project partners or a Donor agency can take over costs which normally are covered by DED. 

The collaboration of DED with other donor agencies enables all partners to implement larger and more results oriented development programmes together with the relevant local partner organizations through the validation of synergies.

The German Development Service with its array of different instruments, its decentralized structure as well as in its technical know-how, has developed a high competence in development co-operation which it can provide at competitive costs. An increased participation in bilateral and multilateral development co-operation could strengthen the efficiency for the benefit of project partners and target groups.

The DED currently concentrates itself on a small group of main partners of which the most important is the GTZ.  Other partners are the KfW Entwicklungsbank, the European Union, financially strong non-governmental organizations, regional development banks and a number of European private church or governmental organizations.

Technical Advisors in Co-operations 12/2006

As of December 2006 of a total of 965 Technical Advisors, 430 where placed in co-operation Programs (45 %). Off these 302 where working in co-operations with the GTZ, KfW and InWEnt (70 %). Increasingly DED is also co-operating with multilaterals like the Worldbank. These Partnerships where increased from four per cent at the end of 2005 to eight per cent at the end of 2006.

Additionally the DED co-operates with the United Nations within the United Nations Volunteers Programme and finances in this context at least ten Technical Advisors per year.

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