Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst

German stamp of the German Development Service, 1988

The Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED) (German Development Service) was a German development organization active between 1963 and 2010. It was one of the leading European development services for personnel cooperation. It was focused on sending professional Germans to work in developing countries on small development projects. It was a non-profit company with a 95% controlling stake by the German government and 5% by the NGO "Learning and Helping Overseas". It is now part of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Society for International Cooperation) (GIZ).

History

The DED was founded 1963 in the presence of Konrad Adenauer and John F. Kennedy. The first headquarter was Wächtersbach in Hessen. In 1977 the moved to Berlin-Kladow. In 1999 the DED move his headquarter from Berlin to Bonn (Tulpenfeld quarter) due to the Berlin/Bonn law.On January 1st 2011 the DED was together with Inwent absorbed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Society for Technical Cooperation/GTZ), which then was renamed to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Society for International Cooperation/GIZ).

From 1963 to 2007, more than 15 000 development workers have committed themselves to improve the living conditions of people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The first 14 supporters for the so called Third World went 20. August 1964 by plane to Daressalam (Tansania).

Working Areas

Dr. Jürgen Wilhelm was the last Director General. They worked primarily in the following areas: Promotion of Economic and employment promotion, Promotion of democracy, Rural development and conservation of resources, Water, Civil conflict management and promotion of peace, and Health.

References

External links

• GIZ website (German and English)