Germany overhauls foreign office amid major humanitarian budget cuts

The German government will carry out a major restructuring of its Federal Foreign Office, after the newly approved budget maintains the more than 50% cut in funding for humanitarian aid, originally made in the 2025 budget.

The government funds for humanitarian aid dropped by 53% from 2024 to 2025. Last week, the 2026 budget confirmed that the budget would essentially remain the same, decreasing by a further 0.1%.

The 2026 budget is the first of the new government, formed in May. Experts had hoped to see an increase in the humanitarian allocation, if not a return to the previous amount, especially after the government said in its coalition agreement that it would “strengthen humanitarian aid and provide it in a reliable, targeted, and forward-looking manner.”

This story is forDevex Pro members

Unlock this story now with a 15-day free trial of Devex Pro.

With a Devex Pro subscription you'll get access to deeper analysis and exclusive insights from our reporters and analysts.

Start your free trial