All people have the right to be governed well and wisely. Nevertheless, not all states see a way of granting their people this right or have the capacity to do so. Rule-of-law structures are a major precondition for sustainable societal and economic development.

The question thus arises, as to what development cooperation can do to foster good governance, democracy and the rule of law. These often-used buzzwords conceal a wide spectrum of meanings. The interpretation of these terms depends not only on the political and cultural context, but also on the interests and views of those using them.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) thus contracted the GIZ (former GTZ) project "Promoting Good Governance and Democracy" to survey the international debate and latest trends in developing countries for German Development Cooperation, to evaluate project experience and elaborate recommendations for practical action. These recommendations are intended to support BMZ and its implementing organisations in their efforts to define their own positions.