Grüne on foreign affairs and defence

The Greens want to strengthen development-related engagement in NRW, from volunteering and educational programs to cooperation with the partner countries South Africa and Ghana. Town twinning is to be oriented toward sustainability goals, human rights and fair trade. Municipal climate partnerships are to get a state advisory office and funding.

Many people in NRW volunteer to help people in poorer countries. The Greens want to support this work more. NRW should work more closely with South Africa and Ghana. Cities should protect the climate together with partner cities. The state should provide an advice office and money for this.

The umbrella organization "Eine Welt Netz NRW" is to be expanded and fair trade campaigns stepped up. The foundation "Umwelt und Entwicklung NRW" and the program for development-related information and education are to reach more people. Global partnerships of associations, municipalities, academia and businesses are to be funded, including exchanges of university students, school students and trainees. A concept for town twinning is to be developed together with the municipalities. A state coordination and advisory office is to guide municipalities in setting up climate partnerships. Funds for municipal development cooperation are to be provided in the Gemeindefinanzierungsgesetz (municipal financing law).

The Greens commit to the Bonn-Berlin Act and want to keep supporting the federal city of Bonn through a supplementary contractual agreement. NRW is to take a leading role in development cooperation and establish itself as a conference location for human rights, peace, sustainability and democratization.

Many international organizations are based in Bonn. The Greens want to keep supporting this location. There should be an extra agreement for this. NRW should become an important place for meetings on human rights and peace. The state should lead the way in helping poorer countries.

The platform points out that the United Nations has 20 institutions in Bonn and that more than 150 other international institutions, associations and aid organizations are based there. It also names the federal development ministry, the German Institute of Development Policy, the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Bonn International Center for Conversion. The state is to build on this base of academia, organizations and NGOs.

The Greens want to set up a protection program in NRW for people who are persecuted in their home countries because of their work, faith, appearance or orientation. It is modeled on the Bundestag program "Parlamentarier schützen Parlamentarier" (parliamentarians protect parliamentarians). Those affected are to be safe in NRW and able to continue their work.

People are persecuted in many countries. This affects journalists, lawmakers and people from minorities, for example. The Greens want to give these people protection in NRW. There should be a special program for this. The Bundestag has had such a program since 2003.

The platform lists journalists, lawmakers, researchers, human rights defenders, women, LGBTIQ* people, people with disabilities and members of minorities among those affected. According to the party, the program launched in the Bundestag in 2003 has already produced 100 sponsorships. Lawmakers use their networks to take in threatened parliamentarians and activists. A comparable program is to be created at the state level.