Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa: New Vectors in the 21st Century

The object of this study is Germany's humanitarian policy as an element of its foreign economic strategy. The subject of the research is the mechanisms, institutional architecture, and socio-economic effects of Germany's humanitarian activities in African countries. This article analyzes the evolution of Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa in the 21st century, with an emphasis on the period after 2014. The aim of the study is to identify the factors that have influenced the evolution of Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa in the 21st century. The research hypothesis is based on the assumption that the evolution of Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa in the 21st century is determined by the influence of systemic factors, including the transformation of Germany's foreign policy priorities, changes in the institutional architecture of humanitarian policy, and the strengthening of a competitive humanitarian environment on the African continent. This hypothesis is tested through an analysis of the dynamics of Germany's humanitarian instruments and their inclusion in the country's broader foreign policy and foreign economic strategy. The methodological basis of the study is a comparative-analytical and institutional approach, as well as a case study method. The empirical base includes strategic documents of the German government and financial and programmatic reports of relevant organizations. Case studies are used in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Sahel region, reflecting the different models of implementing German humanitarian policy in East and West Africa. The study demonstrates that since 2014, Germany's humanitarian policy has become institutionalized and integrated into its foreign economic strategy. Educational, cultural, and social initiatives are increasingly used as tools for mitigating structural risks, fostering sustainable economic ties, and positioning Germany in the competitive environment of interactions with the European Union and China. A conclusion is drawn about the differentiated nature of Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa, adapted to regional specifics and focused on long-term economic and institutional effects. The scientific novelty of the study lies in identifying the factors behind the evolution of Germany's humanitarian policy in Africa and in substantiating its transformation from a supporting element into a strategic instrument of foreign economic and regulatory influence. The findings complement existing research on Germany's African policy, shifting the focus from the description of individual initiatives to an analysis of the systemic logic of humanitarian policy in the context of international competition.