Released as press release volume 2/2025

BMEL lays new foundation for cooperation with African partners

Özdemir: "Creating opportunities that provide stability and good prospects"

Today, Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, joined Josefa Sacko, Agriculture Commissioner of the African Union (AU), during the Green Week to present the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) “Concept for our cooperation with African countries and regions”. This strategically realigns the BMEL’s cooperation with African countries and regions. The guiding principle in this regard is that: only sustainable agriculture and functioning food systems are pillars for peace and political stability. 

Federal Minister Cem Özdemir said: “The great crises of our time - climate change, hunger and conflicts, but increasingly also animal diseases - can only be solved by working together.” We would like to develop solutions  with our African partners in order to promote sustainable agriculture, ensure healthy and adequate food for everyone and create good long-term prospects. I believe these are partnerships for the future that will create opportunities, provide stability and promote peace - for food security creates prospects for people to stay in their home countries. 

Our Africa Concept is a renewed avowal that our neighbouring continent remains a focus of our attention. With this Concept, we are providing specific measures to flesh out the Federal Government’s Policy Guidelines for Africa in the area of agriculture. We aim to use our know-how to the best of our ability in order to create a sustainable and climate-adapted agriculture. Our concept is an offer to our partners: let us work together to prepare our agriculture and food systems for the future.” 

Josefa Sacko appreciates the ambitious goals of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture new Policy for Cooperation with Africa. She said: “The challenges and opportunities before us are profound," and stressed the vital need for increased international collaboration. “The nations of the world need each other, and we must be united in the fight against hunger and malnutrition”. 

Cooperation with the countries and regions in Africa in a spirit of innovative future partnerships is of prime importance to economic, climate and security policy. The Concept identifies priorities, goals and instruments and underlines the expertise that the BMEL offers as a partner. The cooperation is geared to stable partnerships, long-term cooperation and an exchange of knowledge and experience. The sharing of know-how supports the development of civil society, strengthens structures and improves actors’ level of organisation. One focus in this regard is on women and young people. The concept originated in a participatory approach involving the African Union (AU), civil society, science, business and young people from African countries and Germany. 

The overarching goal is to realise the right to adequate food. Of paramount importance in this regard is to strengthen a human rights-based approach and give due account to the different dimensions involved. Good governance is key for jointly realising the right to adequate food and consequently for achieving an ecologically and socially just, and economically successful, transformation of agriculture and the food systems. 

The Concept is designed to help implement international agreements and processes, particularly those laid down in the 2030 Agenda sustainability goals and in the Paris climate goals. The Concept also ties in with the Federal Government’s policy guidelines for Africa. 

To access the Concept, please click here. 

Released as press release