Organisation: German Technical Corporation (GTZ)

Gesellschaft Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations that is based in Eschborn, near Frankfurt am Main and supports the German government in achieving its development policy objectives. It provides viable , forward-lokking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. Working under difficult conditions, GTZ promotes complex reforms and change processes.

During the past decade, the issue of Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED) has become increasingly prominent in international development cooperation. From a very early stage, German development cooperation participated in the conceptual discussions and the development of appropriate advisory approaches. The "Local Economic Development Project" of GTZ in South Africa has proven to be a productive "construction site" for the further development of our LRED understanding. The work of the project refined the basic concept and principles of LRED and developed a series of new methods and instruments in cooperation with South African partner organisations, other GTZ programmes, international consultants as well as research institutes. The experiences of South Africa have substantially contributed to the discourse on LRED in international development cooperation