But it’s a good start, I guess.

Germany slashes aid and development budget – Germany has cut its budget for international development by 8% and emergency aid has been halved. Aid agencies warn of drastic consequences.

The governing coalition of the conservatives (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) has slashed the budget of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) by 8% to just under €10 billion ($11.47 billion).

Development Minister Reen Alabali Radovan (SPD) is clear about the impact of the cut: “My budget is down by around €910 million compared to the previous year. In view of increasing crises, Germany is investing far less in international cooperation than is actually urgently needed.”