According to Tagesspiegel, former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is slated to chair the North-South Commission. The body is to advise the federal government on expanding cooperation with countries in the Global South. The Development Ministry did not confirm the appointment when asked but referred to ongoing coordination within the government.
A ministry spokesperson told dpa that the commission is to be convened "soon – likely in the second quarter of 2026." This will require a cabinet decision. The commission aims to develop recommendations to diversify and intensify bilateral relations with Global South countries against the backdrop of geopolitical challenges, the spokesperson added.
According to Tagesspiegel, the commission will have 20 members, including representatives from developing and emerging countries as well as from Germany and Europe. Details on personnel and mandate remain unclear. There is discussion of filling the deputy chair internationally, possibly with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Nigerian head of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The official presentation of the team is reportedly planned for late June at a sustainability conference in Hamburg, Scholz's hometown.
Source: www.spiegel.de
