The state is the most important actor in the distribution of resources and provision of basic services for its citizens. GIZ supports its partners in realising these functions. We promote the responsible governmental exercise of power and handling of public resources. A major prerequisite for this – one that we support – is the joint endeavour of various participants from the public sector, business, municipalities and the civil society in the establishment and distribution of public goods and services. To this end, rules and regulations, processes, and structures must be designed with an eye to transparency and accountability.

The public administration plays a major role in this design process, since it is as a rule responsible for the distribution of government services and constitutes the connection between the government and the people. We promote and advise our partners on the development and implementation of administrative reform, for example, in regard to:

• legislative framework conditions for administrative bodies
• modernisation of the administration
• government responsiveness to citizens’ concerns, citizen participation in government
• training and upgrading of public servants
• remuneration structures
• controls on income and expenditures
• performance-related human resources development
• prevention of corruption.

A development-oriented state also promotes economic development. For this reason, we support our partners in establishing and reforming legal framework conditions such as property, bankruptcy or tax law. The aim of these reforms is to consolidate the core competencies of the state, to create market-oriented incentive mechanisms, and generally to improve the framework conditions for the private sector. Combined, these measures are intended to lead to higher growth rates and to the creation of new jobs and increased employment. The improvement of framework conditions is usually accompanied by special measures to improve the situation of women and reduce poverty.