Scholz Commission to Intensify Ties with Global South
Germany's new government plans to establish a North-South Commission in 2026 led by former Chancellor Olaf Scholz to strengthen ties with developing nations, though details on costs remain unclear.
According to Nius, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development under Minister Reem Alabali Radovan is responsible for preparations. The coalition agreement states that Germany will intensify bilateral relations with countries of the so-called Global South and expand them into a global network. The commission is presented as a response to geopolitical challenges and international power shifts, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where China and Russia have been expanding their influence for years.
The political origins of the proposal are noteworthy. Research from the Foundation for Science and Politics indicates the initiative traces back substantially to a proposal by Lars Klingbeil in 2024. The Social Democrats are deliberately invoking the historical Brandt Commission of the 1970s, led by former Chancellor Willy Brandt, framing the new body as an instrument for fair partnerships that will promote reforms of the global economic order.
High-Minded Rhetoric, Zero Transparency
What remains strikingly absent is concrete information. The government speaks almost exclusively in generalities about partnerships, global networks, and geopolitical challenges. There is no published budget, no official cost estimate, no information about staffing levels or compensation, and no transparent description of tasks. What exactly the commission will accomplish remains largely undefined.
The cost question is particularly explosive. Germany continues to face economic difficulties including weak growth, high energy prices, rising social expenditures, massive infrastructure problems, and multibillion-euro financing gaps. When Nius inquired about projected costs, the Ministry responded that expenses would come from the Ministry’s budget and that the government is currently working on concrete design including financial planning.
The publicly accessible 2026 federal budget contains no separate line item for the planned commission. Neither costs, personnel scope, nor organizational structure are transparently disclosed, despite the government already announcing the project politically.
Why Olaf Scholz?
The appointment raises another critical question: why should Olaf Scholz receive such a politically prestigious position? The former Chancellor lost the confidence of large segments of the population after massive criticism of his chancellorship. His term was marked by economic uncertainty, budget conflicts, and growing dissatisfaction with the federal government. The official argument is that Scholz possesses international experience and contacts. How his selection occurred and what specific competencies he will receive has not been transparently explained.
Another Commission Germany Does Not Need
Germany already maintains a Development Ministry, numerous development policy programs, international partnerships, EU cooperation frameworks, G7 and G20 formats, the German Society for International Cooperation, the KfW Development Bank, and various scientific advisory councils and expert bodies.
What specific problem this new commission is supposed to solve that existing institutions have failed to address remains unclear. While domestic spending cuts are being debated, new international prestige projects are being constructed during a period of tight budgets. The question of whether German taxpayers should fund another expensive bureaucratic layer to provide a soft landing for a failed chancellor deserves serious scrutiny.
With information from Nius
