Deutscher Außenhandel und Investitionen in Afrika: Geoökonomie, regionale Komplementaritäten und Mobilisierung inländischer Ressourcen

This research paper analyzes the tension in German foreign policy between corporate profit interests and value-based rhetoric, specifically regarding trade and investment in Africa. The author argues that Germany is shifting from a broad 'exportist' geoeconomic approach toward a more selective strategy focused on risk mitigation and the securing of critical resources, such as LNG and minerals, while urging a transition toward supporting African economic self-determination and regional industrialization.

• Germany faces a systemic conflict between its 'export-oriented development model' and a 'moral-based rhetoric' in its foreign and development policies, particularly when balancing the profit interests of companies with human rights and international rules.
• German foreign trade policy is shifting away from building relationships with all partners toward a more concentrated approach to protect interests against the 'use of trade as a weapon' and the risk of asset seizure.
• German direct investment in Africa has been quantitatively low, totaling 1.6 billion USD in 2021, though some large corporations maintain significant production sites.
• Historically, German trade with Africa focused on importing oil and minerals and exporting machinery and chemicals, but current energy security needs are driving a shift toward fossil resources like LNG from Senegal and Nigeria.
• The author advocates for a German trade policy that supports a pan-African industrial policy based on 'mobilization of domestic resources' and regional complementarities, rather than extractive, raw-material-oriented models.
• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is identified as a potential vehicle for a progressive pan-African vision if it moves beyond neoliberal frameworks to support complex industrial production and regional infrastructure.

APA

Koddenbrock, K. (2024). Deutscher Außenhandel und Investitionen in Afrika: Geoökonomie, regionale Komplementaritäten und Mobilisierung inländischer Ressourcen. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/deutscher-aussenhandel-und-investitionen-in-afrika-geooekonomie-regionale-komplementaritaeten-und-mobilisierung-inlaendischer-ressourcen

Chicago

Koddenbrock, Kai. Deutscher Außenhandel und Investitionen in Afrika: Geoökonomie, regionale Komplementaritäten und Mobilisierung inländischer Ressourcen. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2024. https://afripoli.org/de/deutscher-aussenhandel-und-investitionen-in-afrika-geooekonomie-regionale-komplementaritaeten-und-mobilisierung-inlaendischer-ressourcen.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Koddenbrock |first1=Kai |title=Deutscher Außenhandel und Investitionen in Afrika: Geoökonomie, regionale Komplementaritäten und Mobilisierung inländischer Ressourcen |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=12 March 2024 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/deutscher-aussenhandel-und-investitionen-in-afrika-geooekonomie-regionale-komplementaritaeten-und-mobilisierung-inlaendischer-ressourcen |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{koddenbrock2024deutscher, author = {Koddenbrock, Kai}, title = {{Deutscher Außenhandel und Investitionen in Afrika: Geoökonomie, regionale Komplementaritäten und Mobilisierung inländischer Ressourcen}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = mar, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/deutscher-aussenhandel-und-investitionen-in-afrika-geooekonomie-regionale-komplementaritaeten-und-mobilisierung-inlaendischer-ressourcen}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }