Symbolic image: bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam

    Triangular cooperation Innovative partnerships that benefit all sides

    Global challenges require joint efforts. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development therefore calls for more international partnerships and, with SDG 17, has specifically created a separate goal for such partnerships. Triangular cooperation can contribute to achieving this goal.

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    Cover: Triangular cooperation in German development cooperation

    Triangular cooperation in German development cooperation

    PDF | 03/2022 | 1 MB, 20 Pages
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    Triangular cooperation means a development project that is jointly planned, financed and implemented by three partners:

    • a beneficiary developing country, which has requested support to tackle a specific development challenge;
    • a pivotal partner, which has relevant domestic experience of addressing the issue and shares its financial resources and knowledge;
    • and a facilitating partner, which may help connect the other partners and supports the partnership financially and/or with technical expertise.

    The Global Partnership Initiative on Effective Triangular Co-operation (GPI) applies the same definition. Pivotal and facilitating partners may be either industrialised or developing countries or emerging economies.

    Win-win-win situation

    The roles in triangular cooperation are not set in stone. Each of the partners involved may benefit, share knowledge and facilitate.

    The three partners develop their roles and procedures dynamically in the course of their cooperation. In doing so, they generate added value compared to bilateral cooperation: all sides learn, share their experience and knowledge, and take on responsibility. This enables all partners to use their full potential and create synergies – a win-win-win situation.

    Triangular cooperation has a proven impact – not only at the project level but also at the partnership level. Jointly implementing a project offers ideal conditions for learning, so that practical questions of implementation can be resolved and the coordination of development cooperation can be improved.

    Possible partners

    Possible partners for triangular cooperation (apart from the responsible development agencies of the countries involved) include line ministries and specialised organisations, local and regional authorities, organisations from the private sector, civil society, and academia, multilateral and regional organisations, and private charitable organisations such as foundations.

    This means that there is a considerable number of possible actors, and the number of countries involved need not be limited to three.

    Germany's approach

    By participating in triangular cooperation, the BMZ supports the development of global strategic partnerships for sustainable development and helps to improve the effectiveness of development activities in recipient countries.

    Germany views its role as that of a learning partner, too, and intends to further strengthen that aspect in the future. Taking part in triangular cooperation is an opportunity for Germany to enhance its political and strategic credibility and legitimacy and to help make development more participatory, sustainable and effective.

    At the international level, Germany participates in various multilateral forums on triangular cooperation, in particular at the United Nations (UN), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Global Partnership Initiative on Effective Triangular Co-operation (GPI) and the Ibero-American Program for Strengthening South-South Cooperation (PIFCSS) run by the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB).

    Practical examples

    Germany is one of the largest donors in the field of triangular cooperation. It has now been involved in more than 150 projects, through which it has helped to launch many development processes and achieve tangible results.

    Symbolic image: Precious coral (Corallium rubrum)

    Dominican Republic | Costa Rica | Germany Coral reef protection

    In a trilateral cooperation project with Costa Rica and Germany aimed at protecting coral reefs, the Dominican Republic was able to benefit from Costa Rica's experience with financing mechanisms for coastal protection. Costa Rica and Germany, in their turn, found the Dominican approach of breeding corals and later placing them in the sea very interesting.

    In another triangular cooperation project, Honduras took up this idea together with Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

    Training course for cashew processing by Brazilian experts in Ghana

    Ghana | Brazil | Germany More efficient cashew production in Ghana

    In Ghana, under a triangular cooperation project with Brazil and Germany, high-yielding and better quality cashew varieties were introduced, as were more efficient cashew processing methods. In this way, the income of Ghanaian farmers could be increased and their food security improved.

    As the project involved the planting of trees, it also made a contribution to climate change mitigation and created new work opportunities.

    Measuring instruments in a wooden box

    Mozambique | Brazil | Germany Improved quality infrastructure in Mozambique

    In order to strengthen the quality infrastructure in Mozambique, the country's National Institute for Standardization and Quality (INNOQ) was supported under a trilateral cooperation project with Brazil and Germany. The cooperation focused on advice and training for INNOQ staff, provided by experts of the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) in Brazil.

    The measures were financed by the Brazilian development agency Agência Brasileira de Cooperação (ABC) and the BMZ.

    Seamstress in the textile factory of the Desta Garment company in Addis Ababa, which produces for a German retail chain, Ethiopia, 2.12.2019

    Ethiopia | Germany | China Higher standards for the Ethiopian textile industry

    A large proportion of foreign direct investment in Ethiopia comes from China. This funding goes, among other things, to the textile industry, which also exports to Germany. A joint Ethiopian-Chinese-German triangular cooperation effort was launched in this sector to improve environmental, social and labour standards in the Ethiopian textile industry, through capacity development and awareness-raising among Chinese investors and factory managers and their local business partners.

    In addition to Ethiopia's and China's textile industry federations, another important partner in this endeavour is the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The experience from this triangular cooperation is to benefit other countries in Africa and Asia, too.

    Central wholesale market in Mexico City

    Mexico | Guatemala | Honduras | Germany Better access to the Mexican market for suppliers from Central America

    From 2015 to 2019, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Germany jointly provided support to small and medium-sized companies in Central America that supply Mexican food retailers. The virtual platform ANTAD.biz, which was set up by the association of Mexican retailers, has given more than 500 partner companies easier access to the Mexican market.

    The companies committed to compliance with environmental standards and were able to improve their position within the value chain. The platform also provides companies with an opportunity to exchange experience, learn from each other and develop common solutions to improve the competitiveness of the retail sector. A new business model with a focus on economic, environmental and social sustainability is emerging.