CSR – Neither Magic Formula nor Charity
(Bonn, 10/03/2010) The quality of CSR in tourism needs to be debated.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the form of voluntary CSR activities has been taken up by the mainstream tourism industry. More and more tourism enterprises pro-actively showcase their social commitment. Though this may be a welcome development, there is a need to debate the quality of voluntary measures.more
Nigeria: Violence destroys lives and displaces 10.000 people
(Bonn, 05.02.2010) EED mourns for the victims of the violent clashes in Jos and Bukuru after January 17, 2010. During the crisis, several lives were lost and houses burnt. Up to 10.000 people are displaced. The ethno-religious conflict in Nigeria roots in deep social and regional disparities. Violence came to an end on January 20, 2010. The Jos based Christian NGO CRUDAN advocates for continual peace dialogues among stakeholders.more
EED writes to IMF in support of a global Financial Transaction Tax
(Bonn, 26.01.2010) Until the Feb. 1st, 2010 the IMF is collecting on-line opinions form Civil Society on how banks can contribute in a fair and substantial way to offset the cost of states for their bailing- out the private banks during the financial crisis 2008/2009. See EED's email to the IMF appended. If your Civil society organisation would like to send its point of view to the IMF please do so before Feb. 1st.more
Cold Autumn of Development Finance
(Bonn, 18.12.2009) In 2007, even the poorest countries in Africa were on a path of economic growth. They then fell victim to the financial crisis. This paper looks back to the meetings of these global actors in the field of global finances and macro economy, the G20 the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 2009.more
Church in Society and Development
(Monrovia, 07.12.2009) The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and the Church Development Service (EED) have held a theological dialogue in Monrovia on December 7, 2009. The Genral Secretary of LCC Dr. Benjamin Lartey highlighted the importance of reflecting on theological implications of development. Students of the Bishop Waren Brown College of Divinity of the AME Zion University claimed for justice and a strong involvement of the churches in the Truth and Reconciliation Process in Liberia.more
Religion, Conflict Prevention and Peace Buildung in Westafrica
(Accra, 24.07.2009) Sixty high ranking Muslim and Christian religious leaders have expressed their will to promote reconciliation at a international Conference, held in the capital of Ghana July 20 to 24. They urge the national governments of West Africa and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) for reponsible governance and democracy. At the same time they reject religious expansionist policies and the politization of religion. They see the churches as agents of peace and reconciliation.more
Ecumenical Solidarity Visit “Living Letters” to the Democratic Republic of Congo
(Bonn, 26.07.2009) Karin Döhne, head of EED department Africa 1 was part of the delegation from the World Council of Churches visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2009. She summarizes what the group learned on their visit to the provinces of Bas Congo and Kasai Oriental.more
Signs of Hope - Development, Conflict and Religion in Northern Nigeria
(Bonn, 15.06.2009) A study analyses the position of Christian development programmes regarding relations between people of different faiths in Nigeria.more
New Peace Building Network in Mano-River Region
(Monrovia / Freetown, 09.04.2009) Partners of the Civil Peace Service of the German Protestant Church Development Service (zfd/EED) operating in the Mano-River Region – Sierra Leone and Liberia, concerned about the dire need to consolidate the hard won peace in our post war societies, agreed in Freetown in May 2008 to establish a peace building network.more
Poultry Unions and EED take Common Actions at the World Poultry Show in Hannover
(Hannover, 31.03.2009) Representatives from 5 African countries came by invitation from EED November 2008 to Hannover/Germany, where the World Poultry took place as part of the EUROTIER industrial fair. In several public meetings and by a common booth the African chicken producers tried to make Europe aware of the unfair trade with left over meat to Africa.more
Panel discussion: Odious Debts vs. International Law
(Bonn / Washington, 02.01.2009) Video of the juridical and political essence of “The Doctrine of Odious Debts in International Law”, a panel meeting in the World Bank.more
AACC asks African Union to intensify pressure on Robert Mugabe
(Geneva / Maputo, 12.12.2008) The AACC Assembly adopted a statement of concern on Thursday 11 December on the crisis in Zimbabwe, expressing displeasure that "President Mugabe is using power-sharing negotiations as a strategy for wasting time" while "acts of violence continue to be committed against those who do not support ZANU-PF", Mugabe's ruling party. The will of the Zimbabwe people as expressed in March 2008 elections has been thwarted, the Assembly said, and international leaders and churches "have failed to bring about an amicable solution".more
Piracy in Somalia: "The international community should also stand to protect small scale fishers against the plundering of their livelihoods"
(Bonn, 09.12.2008) The EU resolution to send a navy mission in the region of the Horn of Africa to fight pirates ignores that one of the causes of piracy is poverty. EED and its partner organizations in Africa point out that small fishers in the region are becoming increasingly impoverished.more
The people of Zimbabwe need more humanitarian assistance
(Bonn/Gaborone, 24.11.2008) The people in Zimbabwe are starving. We cannot wait for a political solution before food aid is going to be provided to the Zimbabwean people. “The world community has to help the people in Zimbabwe,” says Mrs. Claudia Warning, Director International Programmes of the Church Development Service (EED) in Germany.more
The G20s first Global Financial Summit is unlikely to control the financial crisis
(Bonn, 21.11.2008) The G8 are history. This is the first result of the Global Financial Summit of the G20 on 15.11.2008 in Washington. Beyond that, the summit somehow gave all actors what they wanted, the Wall Street and the City of London got the scope for further expansion of their money trade, the Europeans got stronger regulation, the emerging market countries got the blame for the crisis unloaded on to the rich countries and a strong stake in further decision making, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund got their role strengthened. As usual the Low Income Countries got the receiving end; they received affirmative and sympathetic words.more
40 years of Churches' Development Service
(Berlin, 16.10.2008) The Protestant churches in Germany have celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Churches' Development Service in commemoration of the adoption of the resolution of the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) from October 1968 that led to the foundation of the Churches' Development Service.more
Making Development more Effective
(Bonn, 28.08.2008) Delegates from about 150 countries are expected to participate in the „Third High Level Forum" (HLF3) on aid effectiveness in Accra, Ghana, from 30.8.-3.9.2008 and to its Civil Society Forum. The HLF3 will elaborate on and release the "Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)". This will be another step in a global aid reform process started in 1999 and well know under the term "Paris Declaration". HLF4 is foreseen for Beijing in 2004. As part of Civil Society's response to this process, EED, the Church Development Service, an Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany in cooperation with the Institute Südwind produced the working paper "Making Development More Effective".more
Demonstration at the Federal Association of German Plant Breeders
(19.05.2008) La Via Campesina, the international movement of farmers demonstrated on the first day of the UN conference on biodiversity in Bonn in front of the House of Plant Breeding against bio-piracy and patents on life.
Team: U. Sprenger / S. Schrade
Video Clip: German / English / Spanish
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Rural community of South Africa stands up against pelargonium-patents and biopiracy
(07.05.2008) The Alice community, living in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa, in close collaboration with the African Center for Biosafety and supported by the Berne Declaration (Switzerland), the Church Development Service (EED) and “Kein Patent auf Leben” (Germany), has challenged two European patents granted to the German company Schwabe Pharmaceuticals. Both patents are based on two pelargonium species that occur in the wild in South Africa. The Patents are seen as an illegitimate and illegal monopolisation of a genetic resource from Southern Africa and the traditional knowledge of the communities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.more
Churches in Zimbabwe warn against a genocide
(28.04.2008) In view of the aggravating crisis three churches in Zimbabwe warn against a threatening genocide in the crisis-ridden country. In a common appeal they applied to the international community with the urgent request for assistance. This would be the only way to stop the escalation of violence and of the violation of human rights.more
Call upon the government of Pakistan to withdraw all cases against lawyers and activists
(16.04.2008) The Pakistan NGO Support Group urges the new government of Pakistan to immediately withdraw all the cases against lawyers, human rights defenders and political workers, because they were targeted for peaceful protest. Especially after March 9, 2007 and again after November 3, 2007, large numbers of lawyers, judges, human rights activists, journalists and politicians of the opposition parties were illegally detained, put under house arrest, were banned or disappeared, because they took part in the movement for the restoration of democracy and against the emergency.more
Caravan of Fashion Show in Togo, Benin and Ghana
(07.03.2008) CERAD International presents “CERAD Afrik Graphik Textile” (AGT) Clothesmore
Walter Altmann: Increasing will to seek the unity of churches
(26.02.2008) The moderator of the World Council of Churches has appealed in his visit with the Church Development Service (EED) on the 22nd February for reinforced prayer for unity of the Christians. He pledged for a differentiated dialogue with the Pentecostal and evangelical movement.more
Water and Democracy
(17.07.2007) South Asia is a region with rich and diverse traditions of practices in water management. However, in recent times water management is got into crisis, not at least caused by the „Green Revolution“ and by industrialization: Droughts, depletion of ground water, shortage of drinking water, displacement by dams are but a few catchwords for the increasing conflicts over water. EED partner organizations and networks in India, decided to put the issue on top of the agenda and planned a joint initiative of concerned partner organizations at national level.more