SPIEGEL ONLINE: Minister Wieczorek-Zeul, the situation in Kenya is spiraling out of control, and what started as unrest has now become a full-fledged ethic conflict. Are we experiencing a second case of Ivory Coast or even Rwanda?

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul: The violence must finally be stopped. The international community is using all the means it has available to achieve that goal. I'm putting my hope in the mediation efforts of Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Jakaya Kikwete, the president of Tanzania and new president of the African Union. We must also consider calling in the UN Security Council. We cannot just sit back and watch as the country completely slips into violence and ethnic conflict.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Kenya is immensely important for the region's stability. If need be, should the UN send troops to Kenya?

Wieczorek-Zeul: At this stage, I really don't think much about such a debate. The real issue now is about making sure that the mediation efforts succeed.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Last year, Germany gave €24 million ($35.6 million) to Kenya to serve as development aid -– and to help in the fight against corruption. Looking at things from today's viewpoint, must we say that we failed?

Wieczorek-Zeul: No, but it's interesting that no one finds development aid important, and, yet, when something goes wrong in a country the development cooperation is always blamed. In Kenya, aid donations account for just 5 percent of the overall budget. When we try to prevent genital mutilation or invest in HIV-prevention projects, then this directly benefits the people and not the government. For that same reason, I think it's right for us to support civil initiatives aimed at fighting corruption. But this doesn't apply to direct transfers to national budgets. The European Union's budget aid to Kenya must remain frozen until there is a political agreement in the country.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: As a matter of fact, in January the European Development Fund transferred €40 million ($59.3 million) to the Kibaki government.

Wieczorek-Zeul: That's right, and we criticized the European Commission for that. For this reason, starting immediately, donors must be asked in each particular case whether they are paying out funds. That didn't happen with Kenya, and only the IWF and World Bank were asked. That was the European Commission's mistake.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: So far, Ban Ki-moon and Kofi Annan haven't accomplished much in their mediation efforts. Shouldn't the German funds also have been frozen at the beginning in order to exert pressure?

Wieczorek-Zeul: That has to happen with the EU funds that flow directly into the national budgets. But you don't punish the Kibaki government when you deny help to people suffering from AIDS. The international community has agreed to stay involved in the projects and they are adjusting accordingly. You can't abandon the people on the ground. The most effective thing, however, would be if the United States finally stopped its military aid. Maintaining that aid sends totally wrong signals to the Kibaki government.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: There are many Africans in favor of putting a stop to development aid. Does the situation in Kenya provide a good opportunity to give a complete reconsideration to development aid and to instead direct more to civil organizations?