For a large proportion of the people living in predominantly Islamic countries and regions, Islam – in its various local forms – is a cornerstone of society. Islamic values and legal norms are reflected in how individuals think and act, and they thus permeate everyday social relations.
Development Cooperation (DC) aims for a differentiated understanding of the various socio-cultural, economic and political aspects and forms of Islam in order to enhance the results and acceptance of international cooperation projects in predominantly Islamic partner countries.

Around half of the world's Muslims, some 700 million people, live in South and South-East Asia. It is therefore essential that we accord Islam, as a socio-cultural factor in this part of Asia, a high degree of importance within the framework of international cooperation.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (former Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH) is implementing a GIZ-financed measure on the theme of Islam in Asia entitled "Instruments of Development Cooperation and Islamic Values in Asia". The measure initiated in January 2005 takes a needs and action-oriented approach to processing the findings on the relationship between DC and Islam in selected partner countries in South and South-East Asia. It focuses on key areas of DC in Asia, for example education, health, economic reform and the development of the market system (WIRAM), while considering important cross-cutting DC issues such as gender, governance and crisis prevention.

Specific theme-related and regional lessons learnt in international cooperation are systematically processed, country-specific approaches are recorded, and the potential of new partnerships assessed. On this basis, we develop tailored instruments and sector concepts, and elaborate preparatory and advanced training concepts for DC staff.

Downloads

• Instruments of Development Cooperation and Islamic Values in Asia
  Concept paper
  en-Instrumente-der-EZ-und-islamische-Werte-in-Asien.pdf, 0.04 MB (English)
• Die Schwerpunkte der EZ und islamische Werte in Indonesien
  Beispiel für ein von der GIZ (ehmals GTZ)-Eigenmaßnahme vorgelegtes Länderinformationspapier
  de-InfoSheet-EZ-und-Islam-in-Indonesien.pdf, 0.14 MB (deutsch)
• Entwicklungszusammenarbeit in islamisch geprägten Ländern
  Erfahrungen und Perspektiven. Beispiele aus Asien, Afrika und dem Mittleren Osten. Kommentierte Dokumentation der Fachdiskussion am 23. November 2005 in der GIZ (ehemals GTZ), Eschborn