Germany's far-right AfD proposes abolishing foreign aid agency

Key facts

• The AfD party in Germany is proposing to abolish the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
• The proposal follows a scandal involving 24 GIZ employees in Yemen dismissed over alleged financial misconduct.
• An internal GIZ assessment estimates the financial damage to be in the tens of millions of euros.
• AfD spokesperson Rocco Kever cited the U.S. administration's actions against USAID as a precedent.
• GIZ is conducting an internal review and has implemented organizational changes in its Yemen office.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is leveraging a fraud scandal at the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to advocate for the abolition of the country's foreign aid apparatus. The controversy centers on the dismissal of 24 GIZ employees from its Yemen office due to alleged "commercial irregularities," with an internal assessment estimating damages in the tens of millions of euros.

Rocco Kever, the AfD's spokesperson for development policy, stated that the scandal "once again underscores the fundamental shortcomings of Germany’s current development aid policy." He pointed to the actions of the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump in reducing USAID as an "interesting and courageous signal."

GIZ confirmed the dismissals, which were first indicated in 2022, and stated that it takes compliance violations "very seriously." The agency is reviewing the audit findings and has implemented an organizational overhaul in Yemen, including replacing senior finance and procurement roles. Employees are suspected of embezzling funds through fabricated seminar claims and fuel invoices, among other schemes.

While the AfD is not currently in power, it leads in national polls. The party's motion to abolish the agency is set to be debated in the German parliament, where it is widely expected to be rejected by other parliamentary groups. Previously, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats had reportedly considered abolishing the development ministry during coalition talks, but this was opposed by their Social Democrat partners.

Other lawmakers, including Christian Democrat Nicolas Zippelius and Green lawmaker Claudia Roth, have called for comprehensive investigations and greater transparency regarding the use of development funds.