Lawmakers in Berlin are demanding an investigation into irregularities in the Yemen operations of the German government's GIZ development agency, which resulted in the dismissal of two dozen local staff members since 2023.
"I take indications of a possible misappropriation of development aid funds very seriously," said Nicolas Zippelius, spokesman for the conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group on development policy.
"For me, it goes without saying that such allegations must be fully and completely investigated," Zippelius said in comments due to be published in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday.
The Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), a federally owned enterprise that manages Germany's international development, sustainability and education projects in over 130 countries, took action under labour law after indications of misconduct in Yemen were previously confirmed.
"Twenty-four people no longer work for GIZ. These are national employees from Yemen," GIZ stated in response to an inquiry from the paper.
The incidents came to light earlier in June through a report by Welt and Business Insider and date back several years.
GIZ stated that the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the GIZ Supervisory Board were informed in the spring of 2023 after the irregularities were confirmed.
According to GIZ, it then commissioned further audits by an external auditing firm.
"GIZ is currently reviewing the audit results internally and with its clients," it said in a statement, declining to comment on the extent of the damage and provide further details.
Yemen is located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula and has been embroiled in civil war since 2014. The GIZ website states that it has been working there since 1969 and adds: "Due to current events in the country, our work on the ground is facing changes."
Green Party lawmaker Claudia Roth told Welt am Sonntag that she expects the ministry to proactively and comprehensively inform parliament at an early stage.
"Especially in times when development policy is increasingly under attack from targeted disinformation campaigns, it is also a question of transparency regarding the effective use of urgently needed development funds," Roth said.
In light of this case, the far-right Alternative for Germany reiterated its demand to dissolve the development ministry.