GTZ

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GTZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is a government-owned corporation for international cooperation with worldwide operations. GTZ’s aim is to positively shape the political, economic, ecological and social development in our partner countries, thereby improving people’s living conditions and prospects. Through the services it provides, GTZ supports complex development and reform processes and contributes to global sustainable development.

GTZ was founded in 1975 as a corporation under private law. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is its main financing organisation. GTZ also undertakes commissions for other government departments, for governments of other countries, for international clients, as well as for private-sector corporations. GTZ operates on a public-benefit basis. Any surpluses are exclusively rechannelled into development cooperation projects. GTZ has more than 13,000 employees in around 130 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Eastern European countries in transition and the New Independent States. Around 10,000 are locally contracted national staff. GTZ maintains its own field offices in 87 countries. 1,700 people are employed at Head Office in Eschborn near Frankfurt am Main.

International and local experts and managerial personnel form the basis of GTZ’s presence in its partner countries. With many years of experience, GTZ is skilled in tailoring solutions to specific problem situations in partner countries, and in developing project strategies and measures jointly with its partners. Emphasis is on interlocking regional, sectoral, commercial and logistic capabilities and on integrating management know-how and intercultural expertise. However, international cooperation also calls for new alliances. GTZ aims to establish new partnerships in the social, economic and cultural sphere. It has always cooperated closely with other national and international development cooperation organisations, availing itself – wherever technically and financially expedient – of the knowledge available in the private consulting sector, from independent experts and specialist public institutions both in Germany and abroad. GTZ unites inputs delivered by various project actors, so as to achieve the best possible results.

Technical Cooperation is about boosting the performance capacity of both individuals and organisations. It helps enhance the political and institutional framework for sustainable development in partner countries. Technical Cooperation transfers and mobilises knowledge and skills, and, together with its partners, creates and develops the environment in which these can be applied. The aim is to strengthen people’s own initiative, enabling them to improve their living conditions through their own efforts. However, Technical Cooperation does not merely transfer know-how. It also acts as a facilitator between the government and civil society and as a mediator where there are conflicts of interest within society.

GTZ’s consultancy services span a wide range of activity areas, from economic development and employment promotion, through health and basic education to environmental protection, resource conservation and regional rural development. Government advisory services have increased significantly in recent years. GTZ is now supporting numerous partner countries in their efforts to introduce comprehensive reform processes and to initiate the necessary changes in the policy, economic and social frameworks. Where acute need means that immediate human survival is jeopardised, GTZ also responds with emergency aid and refugee programmes, but even these short-term relief measures are designed to enhance people’s potential and capacity to help themselves and to achieve long-term positive impacts.

GTZ services include:

• advising organisations in partner countries on project and programme planning, implementation and evaluation
• recruiting and briefing experts for their tasks, and attending to their professional and personal welfare during their period of assignment
• planning and implementing project-oriented training and upgrading
• planning, steering and implementing complex tasks, e.g. in the field of logistics or in cooperation and event management
• specification, planning and procurement of materials and equipment for the projects
• granting, processing and disbursing non-repayable financial contributions from Technical Cooperation funds.

GTZ in the Kyrgyz Republic

The German Technical Cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic started in 1993. Among the first projects were projects for the promotion of the economy, the development of a support structure for small farmers in Osh Oblast, and a project on vocational training. Other activities comprised environmentally sound land-use within the Issyk Kyl biosphere preserve, and promotion of the Unmut rehabilitation center for children.

Furthermore, the Kyrgyz-German cooperation was extended at an early stage to include projects at policy level. These included advice on health policy, on setting up the national statistical and insurance system, and on specific legal questions regarding the harmonization of Kyrgyzstan's civil law with international agreements. A project on labour and employment policy resulted, among other, in the creation of the first Kyrgyz business incubator in Bishkek and of a Job Counselling and Information Center at Bishkek's employment office. Both ideas have since then been replicated in other regions of Kyrgyzstan.

In 2001, based on the policy of the German Government to better focus technical assistance (and thus to enhance the development impact), it was agreed with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to concentrate on "Economic Reform and Development of a Market System". This area comprises areas such as private sector promotion, vocational training, or financial systems development. Most on-going GTZ projects are now within this context.

In 2009, GTZ's on-going projects are:

Bilateral projects:
• Promotion of Sustainable Economic Development (12/2007-12/2017)
• Reform of the Vocational Education System and Labor Market (10/2004-05/2010)
• Support to Judiciary Reform in the Kyrgyz Republic (10/2008-05/2010)
• Support to Ethnic Germans in Kyrgyzstan (1997-02/2010)

Regional projects with activities in Kyrgyzstan:
• Regional Project to sustain the implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Central Asia (01/2002-12/2010)
• Support of Regional Economic Cooperation in Central Asian Countries (01/2005 - 12/2014)
• Support of Legal and Juridical Reform in Central Asia (01/2004 – 12/2011)
• Regional Teacher Qualification Network in Central Asia (12/2003 – 06/2014) 
• Promotion of Microfinance in Central Asia (12/2007-12/2010)
• System Development in the Health Sector (03/2008-02/2016)
• Regional project regarding HIV/AIDS and prevention of drug abuse (11/2008-10/2018)
• Basic Education (01/2009-12/2015)
• Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia (02/2009-12/2011)
• Training of Professional and Managerial Staff in the Agriculture (2005-2010)

For details of GTZ programs and activities worldwide, please visit GTZ website at http://www.gtz.de