Fokus

Highlights

akzente spotlights political and social developments. Essays by leading authors contribute to current debates, and interviews and comments help broaden horizons. Infographics provide a clear presentation of complex issues.

Fokus

CITIES

Background Cities

The future is urban

Cities have a key role to play in efforts to meet climate and development goals. GIZ advises municipalities and supports public involvement in decision-making.

Interview cities

‘Sustainability remains a key issue’

Ashok-Alexander Sridharan is the Mayor of Bonn. He wants the city of his birth to be carbon-neutral by 2035.

Infographic Cities

Blessing or curse?

Never before have so many people lived in cities. Facts and figures from the big-city jungle.

Essay Cities

Agile or fragile

What cities will look like in the future, depends heavily on the right management.

Democracy

Essay democracy

Wanted and threatened

People around the globe yearn for democracy – at least when it offers more than elections. Stefano Palestini explains why the Chilean example is a case in point.

Infographic democracy

How do things stand?

Opinions, feelings and hypotheses about the state of democracy abound. A look at the world of facts and figures helps to put things in perspective.

Interview Democracy

‘It’s a matter of equality’

In democracies, towns and local authorities should be given more powers, says social scientist Shandana Khan Mohmand from the University of Sussex.

In focus

Learning democracy

For the first time, Ugandans are helping to reshape their country’s energy policy. Lawyer Claudia Apio takes her message around local villages calling for real change.

Human security

Background

United for peace

In a fragile country like Mali, greater stability is only possible if foreign, development, security and environmental policies are integrated with one another in the long term.

Report Human security

A question of trust

Germany supports police forces in the Palestinian territories to deliver a professional, community-oriented service.

Interview Human security

‘It’s not just wrong, it’s stupid’

Interview with Chantal de Jonge Oudraat, President of the network Women In International Security

Infographic Human security

The biggest risks of all

In today’s world, war and weapons are no longer seen as the biggest dangers.

Waste

Background

Global network for solid waste management

Reduce, reuse, recycle – as much and as efficiently as possible. These goals are the focus of GIZ’s work with waste.

Essay Waste

Throwaway lifestyles

Humans seem to be drowning in their own waste. Essay by environmental journalist Joachim Wille

Infographic Waste

As far as the eye can see

Waste knows no borders, as a glance at the world’s cities, seas and rivers shows – we are even littering space with our debris.

Interview

‘The time to act is now’

Interview with Maria Cristina Fossi, professor of ecology and ecotoxicology and environmentalist

China

Views on China

Five perspectives

Public debate about China is often characterised by superlatives and clichés. akzente asked five experts to present their views.

Background

Intercultural bridge-builders

China’s relationship with Germany and Europe is more important than ever. GIZ is working to strengthen mutual understanding.

Infographic China

Faster, higher, further

Environmental protection and pollution, extreme poverty and growth – China’s development remains contradictory.

Interview Zheng Han

‘China is hungry for success’

Interview with Zheng Han, Chair of the Sino-German School for Postgraduate Studies at Tongji University in Shanghai

Women

Report Female

Breaking new ground together

They challenge stereotypes and are role models: female members of Jordan’s regional councils in action.

Interview women

‘Don’t try to be superwomen’

Interview with Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Infographic Women

Room for improvement

Whether in art, science, culture or business, statistics prove that gender equality is still a long way off.

Essay Women

The rise of women

Women have increasingly taken top-level political posts. Malliga Och describes the long road to power.

Responsibility

Germany‘s responsibility

More than just poets and philosophers

Infographics: Germany presents many faces to the world – and has a few surprises up its sleeve.

Germany‘s responsibility

‘Greater focus on strategy’

Amel Saidane from Tunisia and Victor Andrusiv from Ukraine were two of around 150 people who took part in the GIZ study ‘Germany in the Eyes of the World’.

Germany‘s responsibility

Protecting migrants

Germany and the EU are providing protection for children and adults by improving migration management in the Horn of Africa.

Germany‘s responsibility

Germany in the Eyes of the World

For the third time, GIZ has interviewed people across the globe to find out about their perceptions of Germany.