Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany facts for kids
Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung | |
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1961 |
Jurisdiction | Government of Germany |
Headquarters | Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen |
Minister responsible |
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Website | www.bmz.de |

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is an important part of the German government. Its main job is to help other countries around the world. The BMZ works to make sure people in less developed countries have a better life.
The ministry has its main office in Bonn, Germany. This building used to be the office of the German Chancellor. There is also a second office in Berlin.
Contents
What is the BMZ and What Does it Do?
The BMZ is a special ministry in Germany. It focuses on helping countries grow and become stronger. This is called "development cooperation." The BMZ gives money and support to countries that need it. This help can be for many things, like building schools or improving health care.
How the BMZ Helps Other Countries
The BMZ works to make life better for people in many ways. It gives money and other kinds of aid to countries. This aid helps them develop their economies and improve living conditions.
The ministry also works with big groups like the World Bank. It helps pay Germany's share to these groups. These international groups also work to help countries develop. The BMZ also supports private charities that do similar work.
The BMZ cares about how countries use the help they get. It checks that countries are democratic and respect human rights. This means people should be treated fairly and have freedoms.
Germany believes this help is very important for world peace. Because of this, the BMZ is part of the Federal Security Council. This council helps keep Germany safe and peaceful.
The History of the BMZ
The BMZ was started in 1961. Back then, it was called the Ministry for Economic Cooperation. Before this, many different government groups handled small parts of helping other countries. All these jobs were brought together under the new ministry.
On January 23, 1993, its name changed to the "Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development." This new name showed that Germany wanted to do more than just work with developing countries. It also wanted to actively help them grow and improve.
Important Goals of the BMZ
The BMZ has several big goals it wants to achieve around the world. These goals are about making life better for everyone.
- Fighting Poverty and Hunger: The BMZ aims to cut in half the number of people who suffer from poverty and hunger.
- Education for All: It works to make sure all children can go to a basic school.
- Equality for Everyone: The ministry promotes fairness between men and women.
- Improving Health: It tries to lower the number of children who die young. It also works to improve mothers' health.
- Fighting Diseases: The BMZ helps in the fight against illnesses like HIV/AIDS and malaria.
- Protecting Our Planet: It also works to improve how we protect the environment.