Yesterday, I was invited to speak at the hybrid annual meeting of the GIZ Business Scouts and the Chemnitz Chamber of Commerce and Industry about the opportunities and risks of technical regulation in Central Asia and whether my thesis „whoever has the standards has the economic power“ can be proven. In a lively panel discussion, I was given the opportunity to present our successful ALPHA – GIZ project in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The discussion showed me the social importance of GIZ and, above all, the high developmental and sustainable significance of GIZ’s work in Central Asia and Africa.