The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH attaches great importance to responsible and transparent management of personal data.

Below we provide users with information as to

• who they can contact at GIZ on the subject of data protection
• what data is processed when users contact us, subscribe to newsletters or press releases or use other GIZ online services
• what data is processed when they visit the website
• how they can opt out of the storage of data
• what rights they have with respect to us

1.    Data controller and data protection officer

Data processing is the responsibility of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Address:
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1–5, 65760 Eschborn, Germany

Contact: alliance.sahel@giz.de

Please contact GIZ’s data protection officer if you have questions specifically about how your data are protected: datenschutzbeauftragter@giz.de

2.    Information on the collection of personal data

2.1  General

GIZ processes personal data exclusively in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, BDSG).

Personal data are, for example, name, address, email addresses and user behaviour.

GIZ only processes personal data to the extent necessary. Which data is required and processed for which purpose and on what basis is largely determined by the type of service you use or the purpose for which the data is required.

2.2  Collection of personal data when visiting our website

They are used to make the online presence more user-friendly and effective overall. Cookies cannot run programs or infect your computer with viruses.

The Sahel Alliance website uses cookies that are automatically deleted as soon as the browser on which the page is displayed is closed (referred to as temporary cookies or session cookies). This type of cookie makes it possible to assign various requests from a browser to a session and to recognise the browser when the website is visited again (session ID).

GIZ is obliged to store the data beyond the time of the visit in order to ensure protection against attacks against GIZ’s internet infrastructure and federal communications technology (legal basis: Article 6 (1) e GDPR in conjunction with Section 5 of the German Act on the Federal Office for Information Security (BSIG). In the event of attacks on communications technology, this data is analysed and used to initiate legal and criminal action.

Data that is logged when accessing the GIZ website is only transferred to third parties if there is a legal obligation to do so or if the transfer is necessary for legal or criminal prosecution in the event of attacks on federal communications technology. Data will not be passed on in any other cases. This data is not merged with other data sources at GIZ.

2.4 matomo analysis service (user analysis)

On its website, the Sahel Alliance uses the web analysis service “matomo” (matomo.org) to analyse usage data.

matomo uses cookies to enable a statistical analysis of the use of the Sahel Alliance’s website by its visitors. matomo cookies do not contain any information that would enable a user to be identified. Each time a user accesses the Sahel Alliance website and each time a file is downloaded, data on this process is temporarily stored and processed in a log file. Prior to storage, each data record is made anonymous by changing the IP address.

On the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR in accordance with § 3 BDSG, the GIZ evaluates usage information for statistical purposes as part of its public relations work and for the demand-oriented provision of information on the tasks to be performed by GIZ. The processing is based on consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) a GDPR and for the purpose of processing your request.

The data generated with matomo is processed and stored by us directly on the webhost of this website exclusively in Germany.

Therefore, no data is exchanged with matomo.org or any other third-party websites or services.

Further information on data protection at matomo can be found here: https://matomo.org/privacy-policy/

3.    Processing of personal data when contacting us

3.1  Contact form

A form is provided on the Sahel Alliance website to enable you to contact us electronically. When you use the contact form, we process your family and given names, email address. Providing the postal address is optional and allows, if desired, a reply to the enquiry by post. The processing is based on consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) a GDPR and for the purpose of processing your request.

By activating the checkbox and submitting the contact form, the user agrees to the transmission and storage of his or her personal data. It is possible to cancel the process of filling out the contact form at any time. Data is only transmitted if the form is sent.

An SSL-encrypted connection is used to transmit the data to GIZ.

4.    Provision of information

On the Sahel Alliance website it is possible to subscribe to a newsletter.

4.1  Newsletter

Personal data is used for the purpose of processing the subscription to each respective newsletter. The data is processed and used exclusively for sending the newsletter. The service provider for the newsletter is Sendinblue Newsletter.

After entering the email address, users receive an email containing a link for confirming the authenticity of the address and the subscription (‘double opt-in’). If users do not confirm the registration by clicking on the link contained in the email, the data is deleted immediately.

The legal basis for the processing of data in connection with the dispatch of newsletters is their consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) a GDPR.

The newsletter subscription can be cancelled at any time. If the subscription is cancelled, all personal data is deleted from our database.

5. User Area:

When clicking the user area, you land in a new sub-webpage: this is our private web space, still active and dedicated to the members of the Sahel Alliance (this facility has been asked by BMZ in 2019). This is only accessible for the staff of the Sahel Alliance member institutions (27 member institutions are listed here:

When users doesn’t want to have access anymore, they sent us an email and we directly delete the account with the personal data.

This sub-website (landing-page) is using only technical cookies. GIZ is obliged to store the data beyond the time of the visit in order to ensure protection against attacks against GIZ’s internet infrastructure and federal communications technology (legal basis: Article 6 (1) e GDPR in conjunction with Section 5 of the German Act on the Federal Office for Information Security (BSIG). In the event of attacks on communications technology, this data is analysed and used to initiate legal and criminal action.

6.    Processing of personal data in connection with social network use

On its website, GIZ/Alliance Sahel invites users to visit its company presence on social networking sites and platforms including, but not limited to, YouTube

These online presences are operated in order to interact with the users that are active on these sites and platforms and to inform them about projects and services. By clicking on a social network’s logo, the user is redirected to the GIZ presence on the respective network.

When users visit the platforms, personal data is collected, used and stored by the operators of the respective social network, but not by GIZ. This is also the case even if the users themselves do not have an account with the respective social network.

The individual data processing operations and their scope differ depending on the operator of the respective social network. GIZ has no influence on the collection of data or its further use by the social network operators. We are not fully aware of the extent to which, where and for how long the data is stored; to what extent the networks comply with existing obligations regarding erasure; what analyses are conducted and links established with the data; and to whom the data is disclosed.

Access to GIZ social media sites is subject to the terms of use and privacy policies of the respective operators. Click here for the contact details and links to the data privacy policies of the social media on which GIZ maintains a presence.

GIZ on social media

• The privacy policy for the social network YouTube, operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, can be found at https://www.gstatic.com/policies/privacy/pdf/20190122/f3294e95/google_privacy_policy_en_eu.pdf .

7.    “YouTube” social plug-in

In our website, we use the plug-in of the social network YouTube. YouTube is an internet service operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland,

If the plug-in is stored on one of the pages of our website that you visit, your internet browser downloads a representation of the plug-in from YouTube’s servers in Ireland.

If you are logged in to your YouTube channel while you visit one of our web pages provided with the plug-in, the information collected by the plug-in from your specific visit will be recognized by YouTube. YouTube may assign the information collected in this way to your personal user account there. If you use, for example, the so-called “I Agree” button to view the video on our website, this information will be stored in your YouTube user account and possibly published via the platform of YouTube. If you wish to prevent this, you must either log out of your YouTube account before visiting our website or prevent the loading of the YouTube plug-in by not clicking to the “I Agree” button.

The privacy policy for the social network YouTube, operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, can be found at https://www.gstatic.com/policies/privacy/pdf/20190122/f3294e95/google_privacy_policy_en_eu.pdf

The processing is based on consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) a GDPR and for the purpose of processing your request.

8.    Disclosure to third parties

GIZ does not pass on personal data to third parties unless it is legally obliged or entitled to do so by law.

9.    Transfer of data to countries outside Germany

GIZ does not transfer personal data to third countries. When using social media, the privacy policies of the respective providers apply.

10.        Duration of data retention

User data will not be kept any longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it is processed or as required by law.

11.        IT security of user data

GIZ accords great importance to protecting personal data. For this reason, technical and organisational security measures ensure that data is protected against accidental and intentional manipulation and unintended erasure as well as unauthorised access. These measures are updated accordingly based on technical developments and adapted continuously in line with the risks.

12.        Reference to user rights

Visitors to the GIZ website have the right

• To obtain information about their data stored by us (Article 15 GDPR)
• To have their data stored by us rectified (Article 16 GDPR)
• To have their data stored by us erased (Article 17 GDPR)
• To obtain restriction of processing of their data stored by us (Article 18 GDPR)
• To object to the storage of their data if personal data are processed on the basis of the first sentence of Article 6 (1) 1 f and e GDPR (Article 21 GDPR)
• To receive their personal data in a commonly used and machine-readable format from the controller such that they can be potentially transmitted to another controller (right to data portability, Article 20 GDPR)
• To withdraw their consent to the extent that the data has been processed on the basis of consent (Article 6 (1) a GDPR). The lawfulness of the processing on the basis of the consent given remains unaffected until receipt of the withdrawal.

Users also have the right in accordance with Article 77 GDPR to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority. The competent authority is the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI).

Last updated: 3 February 2023