Status: Flexing.

Why we’re watching: Germany is the second-largest OECD donor, and it has a new coalition government, a new minister leading its development agency, and potentially new reforms to its BMZ 2030 strategy.

Leadership: Svenja Schulze, federal minister for economic cooperation and development.
Staff: Over 1,200.
$: €12.43 billion spent in fiscal year 2021.
HQ: Bonn and Berlin, Germany.
Tidbit: Before taking on the role at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Schulze was the environment minister and is seen as one of the more progressive voices on climate policy within the Social Democratic Party.
Follow: Andrew Green.

Analysis: With the United Kingdom cutting its aid budget, all eyes were on Germany during its major election last year. The result is a coalition government that supports maintaining German aid at 0.7% of gross national income and adopted a proposal to ensure that 0.2% of GNI goes to so-called least developed countries. And the lead party in the coalition, the SPD, has given up most external ministries except for the development ministry, meaning it may take on a more important global role. All this comes amid potential changes to the BMZ 2030 plan, including the possible resurrection of some countries and programs slated to be cut under the original plan. — RK.

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