GTZ (which became GIZ on 1 January 2011) has been working in Macedonia since 1993. GIZ works on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in the following priority areas:

• Sustainable economic development
• Water

In 2005 the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which gained independence in 1991, was granted the status of candidate for accession to the European Union (EU) in recognition of its political and economic development. In its annual progress report in October 2009, the EU Commission recommended starting accession negotiations with Macedonia.

Following the Balkan wars and progress made on reconciliation between the population groups involved, Macedonian-German cooperation is primarily geared to European integration. Examples are the regional economic development programme, the transposition of technical EU directives into Macedonian law and advisory services provided in the context of implementing the EU Water Framework Directive.

Macedonia also receives funding from the transnational Open Regional Funds for South-East Europe. The BMZ uses that funding to promote legal reforms, foreign trade consultancy, modernisation of community services, energy efficiency and renewable energies.

GIZ has an office in Skopje, in a building it shares with KfW Entwicklungsbank and the Goethe Institute's Liaison Office in Skopje.