Joint Learning Forum 2026

With its 2026 reform agenda, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is repositioning Ger man development cooperation as a core pillar of an integrated foreign and security policy. As a key element of this shift, evidence, data, and continuous learning will be used more systematically to support setting priorities, allocating resources, and shaping partnerships. The Joint Learning Forum 2026 brings together leading voices from policy, re search, and practice to advance evidence-informed decision-making across the entire policy cycle from strategy to implementation. It focuses on practical solutions to pressing global challenges—from building partnerships based on mutual interests and strengthening development cooperation in fragile contexts to advancing solutions in areas such as health, fair labor migration, employment, and global supply chains. The goal is clear: to support a more strategic, focused, partner-oriented, and results-driven development policy – to progress on the SDGs, improve current devel opment practice, and make achievements visible to citizens both in Germany and abroad.

Program

08:30 – 09:00 Registration

09:00 – 09:15 Opening Remarks: Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, WZB; Jörg Faust, DEval

Moderation of the Day: Angelika König, DEval

09:15 – 10:15 Panel Discussion: Evidence Meets Strategy – Shaping the Future of Development Cooperation 

10:15 – 11:00 Coffee Break with Poster Presentations

11:00 – 11:25 Keynote: Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

11:30 – 12:25 Parallel Sessions I

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break

13:30 – 14:25 Parallel Sessions II

14:25 – 14:55 Coffee Break

16:00-16:55 Panel Discussion: From Rigorous Impact Evaluations to Cumulative Learning: Building and Using an Evi dence Base for German Development Cooperation

17:00 – 17:10 Concluding Remarks Macartan Humphreys, WZB and Bernd Beber, GIGA

17:10 – 19:00 Reception