German Ratio

BERLIN (Own report) - The German government reports new success in its global personnel policy and announces a clear increase in the number of Germans active in supra-national organizations. For Berlin this ratio of Germans represents the yardstick for measuring German international influence. According to Berlin's estimates, approximately 9.5 per cent of the personnel active in the UN, the EU and other supra-national bodies are of German origin, a country representing less than 1.3 per cent of the global population. The manifold over-representation at global echelons is the result of deliberate promotion measures, that Berlin is currently intensifying, to further strengthen its global standing. A conference, that was recently held under the direction of the Foreign Ministry - with significant support from business circles is part of this effort. Through the personnel activities of the government, German businesses hope for better access to the two digit-million contracts awarded by supra-national organizations.

Job Fair

The first "Conference of German Employees of International Organizations and European Institutions" drew to a close in Berlin on Friday, May 12, and was supplemented with a "job fair" of supra-national institutions on Saturday. Organizer was the Foreign Ministry (AA), supported by industry-affiliated establishments (Hertie School of Governance, the Robert Bosch Foundation). As was made known by the AA, the conference served both the "creation of networks" and "the improvement of contacts to the Federal Government,"[1] that was represented at the conference by high-ranking officials from several ministries and the Federal Chancellor's Office. The president of the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI) was also announced.

Purchasing Power

The intensification of its international personnel policy, introduced by the government six years ago [2], has produced, in the meantime, clear results. Whereas in 1999 the portion of German personnel in supra-national organizations was at 8.8 percent (3,455 employees), it has now attained approximately 9.5 percent (5,100 employees). Among them are those in top positions, such as the coordinator of the UN Environmental Program, Achim Steiner [3] or the coordinator of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Tom Koenig [4]. In addition, there are influential managers at the second echelon, such as the department manager for "economic development" within the UN Administration of Kosovo, Joachim Ruecker [5]. A justification for this clear over-representation of Germans - elusive under democratic norms - was given by Chancellery Minister, Thomas de Maizière: Germany must be represented "in accordance with its political, economic and cultural clout". This exceptional influence can also be explained by targeted funding ("high Financial stake").[6]

At All Levels

Berlin is systematically working at all levels to increase the proportion of German personnel. The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutsche Akademische Austausch Dienst, DAAD) as well as the of the German Folk Study Foundation maintain a "Carlo Schmid Program for Internship in International Organizations" for the purpose of placing German citizens in positions world-wide; the Robert Bosch Foundation offers university graduates a "foundation college for international missions".[7] In training courses given by the Foreign Ministry, those interested are prepared for the EU entrance examinations ("Concours") - and with success. In the last five years 551 out of 2,862 posts went to Germans, for careers as EU consultants, more than to citizens of any of the other "old" member states. The German proportion varies from one institution to another. Whereas in EU institutions Germans account for approximately 12 per cent of the officials, at the International Court of Justice and the Yugoslavia Tribunal it reaches only 2,5 and 4.1 percent respectively On the other hand, German personnel representation at the so-called International Criminal Court (ICC), accounts for 12,5 percent, according to Foreign Ministry data.

Flow of Information

For its personnel policy the German Government draws, among other things, on the "Federation of German Officials in International Organizations" (VDBIO). This federation, originally conceived as an association for the protection of the interests of employees of the UN and other institutions, also maintains a "network" in Geneva, to "facilitate both the exchange of expertise and German personnel policy".[8] The VDBIO promotes the "flow of information" between the German mission and German employees in international organizations.

Drawing Attention

German enterprises also profit from this flow of information in Geneva. In the city, where numerous international organizations have their home offices, the "International Telecommunication Union" (ITU) is also to be found. Already years ago, an employee of the Foreign Ministry drew attention to "the significance of cooperation with businesses". "Vacancies at the ITU could arouse Siemens/Telecom's interest", he explained, " the German pharmaceutical companies should be interested in the EU's cartel authorities."[9]

Low Risk

German business circles are particularly interested in business possibilities with the United Nations or international financial organizations. In the fiscal year 2004/2005 alone, contracts from the World Bank, valued at US-$178 million, were allocated to German businesses, twice as much as to British or US-American competitors. Germany was therefore the largest supplier to the World Bank among the industrial nations.[10] World Bank business in developing countries is particularly attractive because of international financial controls: business representatives consider it "low risks on high risk markets". But German companies deplore a "below average" proportion of United Nations business contracts. With contracts valued at US-$101.8 million, Germany does not even rank among the ten biggest contractors, according to business circles: "a consolidation of German lobbying at the World Bank and the UN would be in the interests of private enterprise."[11]

Strategy

The recently held AA conference and the "job fair" document the national strategy of German foreign policy, which measures its global influence in the ratios of German presence, while simultaneously demanding that its competitors hold back with their national interests.[12]

[1] Auswärtiges Amt veranstaltet erste Konferenz deutscher Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter internationaler Organisationen und europäischer Institutionen; Pressemitteilung des Auswärtigen Amts 10.05.2006
[2] see also Deutsche Personalinteressen
[3] see also Weltwassertag
[4] see also Teil der Verwaltung
[5] see also Imperial Consummation
[6] Deutsche sollen in internationalen Organisationen besser vertreten sein; Pressemitteilung des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung 11.05.2006
[7] see also Deutsche Gestaltungskraft
[8], [9] Rundbrief des VDBIO Nr. 116, Juni 2003
[10], [11] Beschaffungsmarkt der Internationalen Entwicklungsorganisationen; www.giessen-friedberg.ihk.de 06.02.2006. See also Weltbank
[12] Merkel: "Die EU muß klären, wo die Grenzen Europas liegen"; Die Welt 09.05.2006


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