GIZ and DLR intensify their cooperation
On 10 and 11 November a two-day workshop took place at EOC. Experts from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and DLR met for the purpose of expanding their cooperation on the international level.
In her opening presentation, Tanja Gönner, GIZ board spokesperson, referred to existing successful cooperation with DLR. The two institutions already work together in the areas of solar energy, early identification of tsunami, and fire detection. For example, earth observation data from the DLR FireBird satellite mission are used to detect fires in Brazil. But both sides agreed that the potential for cooperation is significantly higher. DLR is highly desirable as a strong science partner for GIZ because of its technological and methodological expertise and its numerous international joint projects in many parts of the world.
Five topics had been identified in advance for in-depth investigation in workshop sessions. Potential cooperation relating to “disaster prevention and management -- humanitarian technology”, “climate protection and resource management”, “megacities”, “renewable energy” and “transport” were intensively discussed by GIZ experts and representatives from the DLR Space Administration division, DLR institutes specializing on space, energy and transport matters, and the DLR Project Management Agency. DFD earth observation activities can provide important contributions in all the areas listed. Possibilities for cooperation will be now be specified at the expert level and serve to prepare a foundation for concrete projects.
In addition, a formal agreement will be drawn up to identify future areas of cooperation between GIZ and DLR and to facilitate joint efforts.
GIZ as a federal institution assists the German government in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. The most important client is the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. GIZ also supports other federal entities including the Federal Foreign Office, Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, and the Ministry of the Interior, as well as various state and municipal authorities and public and private clients in Germany and abroad. GIZ is active in over 130 countries worldwide. Of its 16,510 employees, just under 70 percent work on location as national staff. GIZ’ business volume amounted to 1.9 billion euro in 2013.
Contact
Prof. Stefan Dech