German Chocolate: 2008 Official Development Assistance
February - November 2008
In 2008 -- following the 2007 G8 Summit hosted by German Chancellor Merkel -- ONE used billboards, an open letter and chocolate to keep Africa and development issues center stage for leading politicians, media, national and international activists, and the general public.
Overview
African chocolate, a billboard campaign, an open letter, political meetings, and media attention with targeted help from national and international artists were some of the tools we used in 2008 to keep Africa and development issues center stage following the 2007 German-hosted G8 Summit. Not all members of the German government were easily convinced - especially the Finance Minister - but in the end, the cabinet and parliament agreed on an increase in the 2009 German budget for Official Development Assistance (ODA) of US$1.2 billion (€800 million).
ONE directed its campaign at key political decision makers, especially the German Chancellor, Finance Minister, Development Minister and other high ranking officials and members of Parliament engaged in the budget process.
Campaign Milestones
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Feb 12 2008
Bob Geldof Launches Campaign
Bob Geldof kicks off the campaign at the Berlinale Film Festival by telling Germany, "Don’t Stop. Keep it up!" on funding for German Official Development Assistance.
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Mar 11 2008
Bono at the Bundestag
Bono meets senior members of the German budget committee and speaks to more than 220 members of the German parliament, demanding in an interview with the German "Tagesspiegel" newspaper: "Don’t stop. Keep it up!"
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Apr 24 2008
Open Letter
More than 40 prominent German artists, intellectuals and business leaders sign an open letter published in "Süddeutsche Zeitung" and "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", Germany’s leading national daily newspapers.
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May 28 2008
The Billboards
With the generous help of Wall, an outdoor media company, we plaster hundreds of billboards across Berlin. Deine Stimme gegen Armut and several other developmental NGOs support the call to the Federal Government to keep the promise to Africa.
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May 28 2008
The Chancellor
Funny-looking “walking billboards” lumber behind Chancellor Merkel and other senior politicians on prime-time television. Schmidt & Pocher, Germany’s leading late night show, picks up the story.
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May 28 2008
The Chocolate
250 political decision makers -- from the Chancellor to members of parliament -- received what was named by Europe’s biggest paper, “Bild”, “the bitter sweetest reminder”: fair-traded African plain chocolate with the label, “Energy for Africa politics” accompanied by a booklet listing Chancellor Merkel’s promises to Africa and African success stories.
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Nov 28 2008
Budget Victory
The Bundestag votes on the 2009 federal budget, including US$1.2 billion (€800 million) in new funding for development assistance.
Quick Facts
€750 million
The Bundestag’s increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the fiscal year 2008.
€800 million
Additional increase for the fiscal year 2009 ODA.
Future increases
On 29 January 2009, the German government reaffirmed that it will fulfill the EU- and G8-commitment to deliver 0.51% of Gross National Income (GNI) for ODA in 2010 and 0.7% in 2015. A day later, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced "significant increases in German ODA for 2010" at the World Economic Forum in Davos.