Time-Questions

In the context of “Time-Zones. Development and the Factor Time” members of GTZ and Misereor, together with the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT interviewed high-ranking personalities – managers, board members, heads of policy departments – from the leading organizations of German development cooperation.

The interviews showed: There is a comprehensive set of experiences and a deep knowledge of the role of the time factor in development policy. Despite isolated criticism as to the formulation of the topic, that some of those questioned deemed too aloof and not practically relevant, most reacted with approval: It is high time, to confront the factor time in development cooperation!

The results of the survey will be presented here in five points:

• The Problem
  Where do the interviewees see the problem in the nexus between time and development?
  
  
• Time and Man
  The interviewees always put the subject of time and development into the context of man. What does that mean for the practice of development cooperation?
  
  
• Silver Bullet Participation
  Many interviewees saw participation as the silver bullet for properly dealing with the factor time.
  
  
• Pro and Contra Speed
  There are not only good reasons for deceleration, for „more time“, but also good ones for acceleration.
  
  
• Starting with Us
  Many interviewees stressed: the right approach to time must start with us.