1990 Supplement Publications of the International ... - IRRI books

What is GTZ
The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) is
a non-profit enterprise owned by the Federal Republic of Germany,
represented by the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation
(BMZ) and the Federal Minister of Finance (BMF).
The GTZ has existed in its present form since January 1,1975, when
it took over the activities of two previous development agencies -- the
Bundesstelle fur Entwicklungshilfe (BfE) and the Deutsche Forderungsgesellschaft
fur Entwicklungslander (GAWI), to streamline
operations.
The basis of the GTZ's work in official technical operation is a General
Agreement concluded on December 12,1974. This agreement clearly
delineates the tasks between the Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation (BMZ) which is responsible for development policy and
the GTZ as implementing agency.
• The BMZ, the negotiating partner of the governments of the
developing countries, defines the general development policy
aims and the objectives of individual activities and supervises
their implementation; it decides what projects are to be sup
ported and sets the financial framework in its commissions to
the GTZ.
• The GTZ carries out BMZ commissions under its own responsibility,
either itself or by recalling in other state or private enterprises;
it supports the BMZ in the further development of
principles and instruments of development policy.
What does GTZ
GTZ puts development policy into practice. Most of its work is
commissioned by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
whose July 1980 "Policy Paper on German Cooperation with
Developing Countries" defines technical cooperation as follows:
"The purpose of technical cooperation is to enhance the performance
of manpower and institutions in the developing countries. It
involves the assignment of technical personnel and the supply of
technical equipment. As a rule, technical cooperation are services
granted on a non-repayable basis. In the more advanced developing
countries, thiscooperation is either partly or wholly against payment."
In addition to implementing Federal German development
policy, the GTZ also takes direct commissions against payment
from developing countries or from international organizations and
it operates projects with its own funds on a limited scale.
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