The German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Auswärtiges Amt) faces a stern review from the Federal Court of Auditors (Bundesrechnungshof) over the creation of the new Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für auswärtige Angelegenheiten). According to a report sent to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee, the ministry has failed to carry out key financial and administrative steps. The auditors warn that this oversight exposes the federal budget to sizeable financial risks from uncontrolled downstream effects and may prevent the new office from achieving its intended purpose as a memory centre.
The bureau, headquartered in Brandenburg an der Havel, was established in 2021 under Foreign Minister Heiko Maas of the SPD. Its role was to relieve the Foreign Office of routine tasks and to take on non‑ministerial duties, notably processing skilled‑worker visa applications. Public and political expectations are high, as the administration aims to launch a “Work‑and‑Stay” agency that would serve as a central hub for prospective migrant workers and streamline their procedures.
In response, the ministry plans to evaluate the new agency’s cost‑effectiveness and present findings to the Budget Committee by the end of the year.