Fiscal 2019
Fiscal 2019 was a successful year for GIZ. An increase in commissions and in our business volume reflects the fact that our partners appreciate what we do. Our business volume grew by around 2 per cent year on year to EUR 3.1 billion (2018: EUR 3.0 billion). Altogether, GIZ received commissions with a value of EUR 3.7 billion (2018: EUR 3.3 billion).
Business volume in 2019
GIZ’s business volume is made up of income from the public-benefit business area and the total operating performance of the GIZ International Services business area, which is taxable. In the public-benefit business area, GIZ primarily works for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), along with other German public sector clients. All told, GIZ generated income of approximately EUR 2.9 billion in the public-benefit business area. Around EUR 118.3 million was attributable to GIZ’s taxable business area, International Services, through which GIZ works for the European Union, the United Nations, international institutions, governments worldwide, businesses and private foundations.
More funding acquired through competitions
GIZ is increasingly acquiring funding through ideas competitions, in which it competes with other public and public-benefit institutions. Compared with 2014 (EUR 601 million), the proportion of income from ideas competitions has increased by 15 percentage points (2019: EUR 1,377 million). BMZ’s special initiatives, with which BMZ sets development priorities, play a particular role here. Income from the special initiatives reached EUR 383 million in 2019, representing 13 per cent of total income in the public-benefit area.
Cofinancing amplifies results
GIZ’s value as an implementing organisation for many commissioning parties is also reflected in cofinancing having stabilised at a high level. In 2019, cofinancing accounted for EUR 436 million of GIZ’s income. Cofinancing involves third-party funding being integrated into existing projects undertaken on behalf of BMZ or other German public sector clients, thereby enlarging development cooperation’s radius of action. The EU, UN organisations and private companies are examples of cofinanciers. The EU was once again the leading cofinancier with EUR 315 million (2018: EUR 309 million).
Working with third parties
Cooperation with companies, consulting and academic institutions, appraisers, translators and many others is an important instrument for the implementation of our commissions. The volume of contracts awarded amounted to EUR 1,484 million in 2019, a 10 per cent increase compared with the previous year (2018: EUR 1,352 million). The volume of service contracts awarded by GIZ Head Office stood at EUR 515 million in 2019, with EUR 251 million coming from the field structure. Worldwide, GIZ entered into financing agreements worth a total of EUR 717 million in 2019 – 9 per cent more than the previous year. While the volume of local financing agreements declined by 16 per cent to EUR 63 million, the figure for Head Office financing agreements increased by 13 per cent to EUR 655 million.
Trend in public-benefit business area
As at: 31 December 2019 (2018)
Total income from public-benefit business area (in EUR million)1
GIZ International Services (InS)
As at: 31 December 2019 (2018)
in EUR million1
German public sector clients
As at: 31 December 2019 (2018)
Total income from German public sector clients (in EUR million)1
| 2018 | 2019 | |
| Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety | 147 | 154 |
| Federal Foreign Office | 111 | 98 |
| Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy | 30 | 31 |
| Cofinancing provided by third parties for projects commissioned by German public sector clients3 | 53 | 51 |
| Federal Ministry of the Interior | 14 | 6 |
| Other federal ministries and other German public sector clients (e.g. state ministries) | 8 | 9 |
| EU twinning agreements5 | 3 | 5 |
| Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture | 3 | 4 |
| Federal Ministry of Defence | 6 | 1 |
| Federal Ministry of Finance | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 375 | 360 |
BMZ special initiatives
Total income from special initiatives (in EUR million)1
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| ONE WORLD – No Hunger | 11 | 59 | 101 | 112 | 134 | 157 |
| Tackling the Root Causes of Displacement, Reintegrating Refugees | 1 | 20 | 113 | 109 | 130 | 170 |
| Stability and Development in the MENA Region | 1 | 16 | 30 | 35 | 37 | 40 |
| Training and Job Creation9 | – | – | – | – | – | 16 |
| Total income from special initiatives | 13 | 94 | 244 | 255 | 301 | 383 |
1All values shown without decimal places. There may therefore be rounding differences.
2This figure shows only BMZ special initiatives and cofinancing for BMZ commissions, which is included in the total income generated in commissions implemented on behalf of BMZ.
3This figure shows cofinancing arrangements involving commissions from all other German public sector clients (with the exception of BMZ).
4This figure shows income from German public sector clients, micro measures in the public-benefit sector,
and grants.
5Indirect income from European Commission-funded bilateral administrative partnerships between the German Government and accession candidates or European Neighbourhood Policy states; GIZ is commissioned by the pertinent German federal ministry to prepare and support such measures.
6Includes all funding from a national budget unless the funds can be attributed to a country in which we operate
(in which case they are included under ‘national governments’).
7Includes financing bodies that use funds from the budget of a country in which we operate, e.g.
the Ethiopian Government.
8Covers all German public sector clients including federal ministries but in the case of InS also, for instance, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Engagement Global.
9BMZ launched the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation at the end of 2018.
Detailed information on GIZ’s financial position and income and a look ahead to 2020 can be found in the Annual Statement of Accounts 2019.
