German government withdraws GIZ from Afghanistan
The German development organization GIZ supports the Afghan population in basic needs, such as self-sufficiency. According to media reports, GIZ is reportedly withdrawing personnel completely from Afghanistan. Starting from next year, projects in the country will be implemented exclusively through non-governmental organizations, reported the newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) citing a GIZ spokesperson.
"We will no longer employ local staff from 2025 onwards," the spokesperson said. "The contracts of the national staff will have expired by the end of the year." German or international staff have not been on site since August 2021. At that time, the radical Islamic Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. The RND newspapers reported, citing local circles in Afghanistan, that GIZ still employs around 160 local staff.
The spokesperson added that with the personnel withdrawal, GIZ will follow a decision by the German government. Existing and commissioned projects will reportedly continue to run. GIZ will work with local partners in so-called remote control, that is, from Germany or a third country, starting in 2025.
The focus of the work will remain on supporting the local population in basic services. This includes improving self-sufficiency in poorer communities, training midwives and female healthcare professionals, or supporting entrepreneurial women and women-led organizations.
Despite the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, GIZ continues to employ around 160 local staff. The ongoing politics in Afghanistan has not affected GIZ's commitment to providing development aid, as they will continue to work with local partners remotely after withdrawing their personnel by 2025.
