Transitional development assistance Overcoming crises, strengthening resilience, creating new prospects

The transitional development assistance provided by the BMZ creates links between short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term development cooperation and also makes a contribution to peacebuilding. This close dovetailing ensures that even the very first support measures promote social recovery and peaceful coexistence in a sustainable manner and reduce poverty. It is the only way for people to be able to improve their prospects by their own efforts and not be repeatedly dependent on external help.

Transitional development assistance always builds on existing structures and the knowledge of the people on the ground and is implemented in cooperation with experienced partners. That includes German non-governmental organisations, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), KfW, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme of the United Nations (WFP).

The BMZ sets out binding rules for its partner organisations, thus creating a framework for their work and ensuring the effectiveness of its transitional development assistance.

In order to address crises effectively transitional development assistance focuses on four key areas:

• Food and nutrition security
• Rebuilding basic infrastructure and services
• Disaster risk management
• Peaceful and inclusive communities

Transitional development assistance is rooted in a comprehensive approach that links different areas so as to improve the livelihoods of affected people as effectively as possible.

Show image information

Show image information

In Somalia, the population is being informed about the coronavirus through awareness campaigns.

In crisis contexts, the Corona pandemic has sometimes had particularly catastrophic effects and continues to pose an existential threat to the livelihoods of many people.

The BMZ’s transitional development assistance provides rapid and flexible support to reduce the spread of the virus and to mitigate its negative consequences.

The implementing partners of transitional development assistance are adapting their programmes in the four fields of action to the pandemic situation and the respective local contexts.

Show image information

German development cooperation with Afghanistan Internal link

They are building capacities in the health sector, training specialised personnel, disseminating information through campaigns, securing training and income opportunities, and ensuring access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Since the beginning of 2020, partners have also been able to use their funds in particular for this purpose.

Transitional development assistance aims to prevent the negative consequences of the pandemic and enables people to adapt to the situation. The measures support local structures and sustainably strengthen the resilience, in particular of mothers, children, displaced people, host communities and other affected persons.

Transitional development assistance is mainly employed in countries affected by multiple crises and where the state on its own is incapable of supporting the people and communities affected by crises and disasters. It is engaged primarily in countries in the Middle East, East and Central Africa and the Sahel region.

The following factsheets provide more specific insights into the transitional development assistance and show how and why the BMZ supports crisis management in countries of these regions. Why, for instance, is transitional development assistance being implemented in Iraq, Somalia or the Sahel region? What are the local communities’ needs and how are they being met?

Show image information

In Chad, the local population is supported by the Sahel Resilience Initiative of WFP and BMZ in growing vegetables needed for children's school meals.

The Sahel faces political instability, ongoing conflicts and violence, hunger, poverty, population growth and the effects of climate change such as droughts and water scarcity.

The World Food Programme (WFP) implements in Mali, Mauretania, Burkina Faso, Cha, and Niger Mauretania a programme to sustainably strengthen people’s food security and livelihoods. The programme provides school meals for children, job opportunities for the youth and improves the nutrition and health of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Moreover, land is being rehabilitated and agricultural production is adapted to droughts.

Jointly with WFP, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) supports children and young people. They improve their nutrition, education and access to water and sanitation and child protection in Mali, Mauretania and Niger.

Three million people have benefitted from the resilience programmes.

Video: Insights into the Sahel programmes

Show image information

Play video

Show image information

In northern Iraq, the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and peaceful and inclusive coexistence are being promoted.

The Syria crisis and the expansion of the so-called Islamic State led to a massive influx of refugees into northern Iraq. More than 1.4 million internally displaced persons and some 235,000 refugees from Syria are pushing the infrastructure of host communities to its limits, making it impossible for everyone to be provided for at the same time. Thanks to transitional development assistance both the refugees and local communities now have improved access to safe water, basic medical services and psychosocial counselling. More than seven million people are benefiting from these measures. Support is also being provided to returnees to help them develop new prospects in destroyed areas that have been liberated from the so-called Islamic State. Schools and hospitals, for instance, are being rebuilt and support is being provided to revive agricultural production.

The comprehensive approach of transitional development assistance also includes measures to reduce the risk of conflict between local people and refugees. The measures contribute as well to promoting peaceful communities and dialogue between all the religious and ethnic groups in the region. This approach follows the recommendations of the World Bank's Building for Peace report.

The examples show that the BMZ's transitional development assistance focuses not on the weaknesses but on the strengths of people and institutions. It safeguards livelihoods, creates opportunities, and promotes peaceful and inclusive coexistence.

Show image information

Play video