The Global Disability Summit 2025, held in Berlin on April 2nd and 3rd, brought together numerous organizations, NGOs, and private sector representatives to discuss the inclusion of people with disabilities. KfW, represented by Executive Board Member Christiane Laibach, was among the participants.
The event was a collaboration between Germany, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance and served as the third assembly of its kind. The summit particularly focused on representing voices from the global south, emphasizing the fact that 80% of the 1.3 billion estimated people with disabilities live in developing regions. Both King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz underscored the significance of inclusion for sustainable development.
A pivotal moment of the summit was the signing of the Amman-Berlin Declaration by over 80 states. The declaration committed to enhancing the rights of people with disabilities and set an ambitious target for development cooperation by 2028 under the concept “15% for the 15%”, pushing for 15% of each country's program portfolios to enhance inclusion. This move aims at lowering barriers to societal participation. Svenja Schulze, Germany's Acting Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, signed the declaration.
Further agreements included a EUR 46 million debt swap, signed by Svenja Schulze and Jordanian Minister of Education Azmy Mahmoud Mahafzah. Of this amount, EUR 5 million will specifically support inclusion measures in education, promising benefits for nearly 15,000 pupils, including over 2,100 with disabilities, through initiatives like magnet schools.
The summit highlighted Germany's increase in inclusive projects under its development cooperation, growing from 4% before 2024 to 11%, showcasing inclusion's relevance to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Christiane Laibach attended the summit, presenting KfW as an inclusive company and participating in a panel on inclusive financing. "Inclusion aspects should in principle be considered regardless of sector, country context or financial instrument," she stated, emphasizing collaboration with partner countries for substantial progress.
Martin Schmid from KfW’s Inclusion Task Team expressed satisfaction at providing a platform for disabled colleagues, aiming to make development cooperation fields appealing to them. "We are delighted that we have managed to give colleagues with disabilities a voice," he noted, referencing cooperation with organizations like the World Bank and the ILO.
The next Global Disability Summit is scheduled for 2028 in Qatar.