Protest in front of the Chancellery
Alliance warns against cuts to development and humanitarian aid
As part of a broad alliance of development and aid organizations Terre des Hommes today drew attention to the dramatic consequences of the planned cuts in development cooperation and humanitarian aid during a demonstration in front of the Federal Chancellery.
The occasion is the adoption of the draft cabinet budget for 2027: Since 2023, the budget of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has already been reduced by almost 20 percent – to its lowest level in 15 years. Funding for humanitarian aid has even been halved compared to 2024. As a result, development cooperation and humanitarian aid now account for only around two percent of the federal budget. Nevertheless, further cuts are planned.
In a jointly compiled dossier, the organizations outline the dramatic consequences – how the decline in German and international aid is worsening healthcare in many countries, exacerbating hunger crises, and thus costing millions of lives. The dossier, titled "The Price of the Cuts," makes it clear, among other things, that the funding gaps will lead to an estimated 9.4 to 22.6 million preventable deaths by 2030 – including approximately five million children under the age of five.
Under the motto "Human dignity on sale", the organizations demanded a fundamental course correction in the 2027 federal budget and compliance with international funding commitments during their campaign.