BMZ/GIZ

BMZ was established in 1961 and manages Germany’s official development cooperation policy, while GIZ — formed in 2011 through the merger of GTZ, InWEnt, and DED — is its primary technical implementing arm. GIZ employs over 26,000 staff globally and works across health, governance, agriculture, energy, environment, and economic development, often co-implementing with partner country institutions.

GIZ has had a longstanding presence in Ukraine, including support to health system reform and decentralization prior to 2022. Since the full-scale invasion, BMZ and GIZ significantly expanded their Ukraine portfolio to include emergency health, energy security, support for internally displaced persons, and recovery planning. GIZ’s Ukraine health programme has focused on system-level capacity — supply chain, digital health, and facility rehabilitation — complementing the direct service delivery of humanitarian NGO partners.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is Germany’s development ministry, setting policy direction for German ODA; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is its primary implementing agency, delivering technical cooperation programmes in over 120 countries on behalf of BMZ and other commissioners.

Ukraine Commitment

BMZ/GIZ has significantly expanded its Ukraine portfolio since 2022, focusing on health system strengthening, energy infrastructure, economic stabilization, and support to local authorities; GIZ operates a country office in Kyiv and implements programmes across government-controlled territory.