Some federal states maintain long-term and intensive relationships with developing countries. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) recognises the growing importance of the federal states in shaping sustainable economic development (in particular their role in the implementation of the SDGs (2030 Agenda)) and would like to make greater use of these competencies for the work of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, especially in administrative development and administrative action. A direct exchange between public administration staff members and their colleagues in corresponding institutions in the partner country has rarely taken place to date. An administrative exchange across federal states has not yet taken place.
The project shows the feasibility of an administrative exchange programme with partner countries coordinated with several federal states and demonstrates the added value of cross-state cooperation in the exchange. The benefits of administrative exchanges for the German Development Institutes, the partner countries and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will be analysed during the implementation of the project.
The administrative exchange supports the transfer of experience from a developed federal administrative system to the partner countries of German DC. The establishment of long-term knowledge and administrative partnerships between the federal states and their partner countries supports the German Development Institute's overall development strategy with regard to the SDGs.
The federal states are given the opportunity to consolidate and develop their networks in developing countries through expert exchanges and the transfer of specific technical and administrative knowledge. The administrative exchange contributes indirectly to raising awareness in the federal states for aspects of sustainable development and increases sensitivity for necessary contributions to the global strategy of the Sustainable Development Goals (Sustainable Development Goals).
The partner countries gain an insight into successful administrative structures and learn about approaches to the implementation of political programmes and technical solutions in the context of decentralised administrative action.