The Association of German Development Services

The Association of German Development Services (AGdD) is the umbrella association for the development service providers recognised by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Our members place or send professionals who want to work in projects initiated within the scope of development cooperation or the Civil Peace Service. The Development Workers Act (EhfG) provides the basis for our work. The Act was adopted in 1969, and the German Government has been offering financial support for development worker assignments ever since.

Fostering a sense of solidarity, development workers make their professional and personal skills available to partner countries in the Global South for a period of at least one year. They are experienced professionals whose expertise spans all the sectors in which German development cooperation organisations are active, as well as the Civil Peace Service.

Each of our members has a specific development approach and its own way of working. The umbrella association pools everyone's experience and works to strengthen the policies underpinning the activities of professionals in the development services and Civil Peace Service and to garner social recognition for their commitment. Cooperating closely with BMZ, we see it as our job to ensure that development service remains relevant and fit for the future.

The Reintegration Programme, which we run from our office in Bonn, provides advice and supports professionals in making career decisions when they return from their assignments. This programme is available to professionals from all seven development service providers.

Mission and guiding principles

AGdD is a registered association. It is run by committees, whose members act in a voluntary capacity, and full-time staff based in the office. Here is an overview of our organisational structure: