Sector Initiatives and Alliances
Representing one's own interests, building up knowledge, making and using contacts are all made easier with the help of alliances. Those who are involved in sector associations or overarching alliances achieve more, for themselves and for others.
Sector- or Region-specific Offers and Alliances
By providing information and practical assistance, sector initiatives and offers for specific target regions support companies in doing business abroad.
German Alliance for Trade Facilitation
The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation is a public-private partnership. With support from the German Federal Government, companies, business associations and ministries around the world come together to make international trade faster and simpler.
In the joint projects, the time and costs involved in cross-border trade are reduced significantly. The German Alliance assist developing countries and emerging economies in removing bureaucratic barriers and making customs procedures more efficient and secure, in particular through use of digital solutions.
Trade facilitation measures strengthen partners in the countries and promote local economies. They create incentives for international companies to invest in new markets and integrate local suppliers and producers into global supply chains. Implementing trade facilitation measures is therefore in the interests of the private sector and governments.
The World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement creates the framework for its strategy and approach. Furthermore, projects aim at implementation of trade facilitation measures as part of regional trade agreements, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By facilitating trade and economic development the Alliance contributes to the 2030 Agenda and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Partners in the German Alliance come together in working meetings and in other exchange fora to discuss new and ongoing projects and topics. The Alliance has a common strategic approach, and cooperation is based on jointly defined guidelines. A representative steering committee acts as an ambassador. The partners pool their resources in Germany and in the project countries and create together an impetus for new and existing trade facilitation initiatives.
Business Alliance on Green Hydrogen
The Business Alliance on Green Hydrogen connects the German and European private sector and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It supports the market ramp-up of sustainable green hydrogen in the BMZ partner countries by cooperating with the private sector. Through its activities, the Business Alliance contributes to industrial decarbonization, the development of a stable and climate-friendly energy supply, and the creation of jobs to advance the socio-ecological transformation of local economies.
In selected partner countries such as Brazil, South Africa, Morocco, and other North African countries, the Business Alliance on Green Hydrogen supports the development of a green hydrogen market along the whole PtX value chain.
As a unique cross-point between the private and public sector the Business Alliance offers its partners the opportunity to exchange ideas, knowledge, and best practices with relevant actors in the hydrogen sector and the political sphere (H2 Network). Furthermore, the Business Alliance identifies and supports large-volume projects in the field of green hydrogen and its derivatives (H2 Projects), develops industrial business cases (H2 Market) and financing mechanisms such as H2Global or the PtX development fund (H2 Finance). These instruments strengthen the partner countries’ competitiveness in the beginning ramp-up of a global sustainable hydrogen market.
Currently the network consists of around 100 German and European companies, associations, and research institutions from the Power-to-X sector – from plant manufacturers and financiers to potential end users.
Sector Dialogue “Tourism for Sustainable Development”
The Sector Dialogue on Tourism for Sustainable Development brings together well-known representatives of the private sector, civil society and the academic community, public institutions, sector initiatives, foundations and tourism industry associations. Its primary objective is to promote ways in which tourism can make a contribution to sustainable development and therefore help to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda
More Specifically, the sector dialog is working with partners in the destinations to develop practical tools and scalable innovations that promote sustainable development on the ground. These include, for example, improved waste management, the implementation of measures to reduce water and energy consumption, and the avoidance of unnecessary food waste in restaurants and accommodation establishments. Furthermore, the purchase of sustainable and regional products by tourism service providers contributes to local value creation as well as to the preservation of biodiversity.
German Health Alliance
The GHA - German Health Alliance - an initiative of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) - is the central point of contact and voice for health sector stakeholders active abroad.
The GHA connects stakeholders from governments, the private sector, non-governmental organisations & foundations as well as science & academia within and outside its own network as well as towards international organisations.
The GHA aims to target the growing international demand in the health sector for the leading expertise of German actors with their innovations, high quality technologies, products, solutions and services. In addition to thematic work, it offers an intensive network of different players in the German health sector, political flanking at home and abroad, participation in trade fair stands - such as MEDICA and Arab Health - and, as special highlights, events with high-ranking participants. The GHA consists of more than 100 members from industry, science, foundations, NGOs, health institutions and governmental development organisations.
German Recycling Technologies and Waste Management Partnership e. V.
The export network for the German recycling and waste management industry.
RETech's activities focus on promoting the application of the sustainable environmental technology of the German recycling industry abroad. RETech is the point of contact for all public and private organisations and institutions at home and abroad with an interest in German resource and efficiency technology.
RETech offers a neutral platform for companies interested in innovative technologies for recycling and waste management as well as their export. To build a network of actors that support the export of German recycling and waste management technologies as well as the transfer of knowledge, RETech cooperates with ministries, subordinate authorities, universities, institutes and associations both in Germany and abroad.
German Water Partnership e. V.
German Water Partnership e.V. (GWP) is a network of around 350 private and public companies from the water sector, as well as trade associations and institutions from business, science and research. Since its foundation in 2008, the initiative has been supported by the five Federal Ministries for the Environment, Research, Development, Economics and the Federal Foreign Office.
GWP bundles the activities, information and innovations of the German water sector to strengthen its competitive position on international markets. The network improves the framework conditions for business field development abroad, drives innovation and contributes to solving water management problems worldwide with adapted, integrated and sustainable approaches. GWP is the central point of contact for requests from abroad for German technologies and qualified water management.
Import Promotion Desk
The Import Promotion Desk (IPD) is an initiative to promote imports. It specifically brings German and European importers together with exporters from selected developing and emerging countries. The IPD supports importers throughout the entire procurement process and opens up alternative procurement sources for them. This enables them to optimise their purchasing and increase their product diversity. At the same time, the IPD facilitates access to the European market for exporters from the partner countries, provides them with business contacts and strengthens their export potential. The aim is to promote imports in a sustainable and structured manner while maintaining high quality, social and environmental standards. The IPD is an initiative of sequa gGmbH and BGA e.V. The IPD is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
PREVENT Waste Alliance
The PREVENT Waste Alliance serves as a platform for exchange and international cooperation. Organisations from the private sector, academia, civil society and public institutions jointly engage for a circular economy. The PREVENT members contribute to minimising waste, eliminating pollutants and maximising the reutilisation of resources in the economy worldwide. They strive to reduce waste pollution in low- and middle-income countries and work together for the prevention, collection, and recycling of waste, as well as the increased uptake of secondary resources. The PREVENT Waste Alliance was launched in 2019 by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative
The Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) works to intensify economic relations between Germany and the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is supported by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA) and the German African Business Association. The aim of the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative is to promote sustainable economic relations between Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa based on partnership. To this end, the sponsors of SAFRI want to strengthen the perception of Africa as a continent of opportunities for the German economy, promote dialogue between German and African politics and provide a platform for exchange between German and African partners.
Cross-sector Offers and Alliances
Alliances for business and development support companies in their sustainable engagement.
Development and Climate Alliance
The Development and Climate Alliance is a climate protection initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The platform is also intended for the engagement of the private sector. Its mission is to promote development and climate protection simultaneously and to bring this approach to the centre of public attention. The activities of the Alliance partners are voluntary. They go far beyond the existing legal obligations to reduce CO2 emissions and are carried out through participation in projects in developing and emerging countries. In the long term, they should contribute to achieving climate neutrality or even climate positivity.
Alliance for Integrity
The Alliance for Integrity is a business-driven multi-stakeholder initiative with the aim of strengthening transparency and integrity in the economic system. The platform offers practical solutions to strengthen the compliance capacities of companies and their suppliers. It also promotes dialogue between the public and private sectors. Through an extensive network of anti-corruption and compliance experts, the Alliance for Integrity facilitates the exchange of knowledge between local and global partners and especially supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in implementing proven corruption prevention measures.
Alliance for Product Quality in Africa
The Alliance for Product Quality in Africa is a multi-actor partnership funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the aim of improving the quality of products manufactured in Africa. European and African companies, quality infrastructure institutions and development cooperation promote development in the partner countries as well as trade with Europe. For example, to improve the quality of products, producers are given further training or the range of quality-assuring services is improved. European companies thus benefit from an improved procurement situation and long-term supply relationships, while African companies gain improved access to international markets.
Engagement Global gGmbH – Service für Entwicklungsinitiativen (Service for Development Initiatives)
Engagement Global gGmbH - Service für Entwicklungsinitiativen (Services for Development Initiatives) bundles numerous offers of development policy information and education work to promote civil society and community engagement. Engagement Global works on behalf of the Federal Government and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The central service point promotes the development policy engagement of civil society, provides information on projects and initiatives at home and abroad, advises individuals, associations, non-governmental organisations, companies, foundations, municipalities and schools on development policy projects and also offers further training and financial support.