Switzerland invests about CHF 2.1 billion a year in combating poverty and promoting economic development in countries of the third world and Eastern Europe. Two federal offices coordinate international development cooperation on behalf of the Confederation: the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, seco.

All official development cooperation activities aim to improve living conditions for the world’s most disadvantaged people. The SDC focuses primarily on conflict transformation, social development, good governance, promoting economic structures and safeguarding natural resources. The SDC also strives to strengthen the abilities of its partner countries to take their own initiatives.

The SDC and seco support Eastern European countries and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the CIS, along the road to a market economy through know-how transfers and credit assistance. The SDC’s Department of Humanitarian Aid and Humanitarian Aid Unit, SHA, goes into action at times of natural catastrophes, crises and armed conflicts.

Seco decides on and carries out economic and trade policy measures related to official development cooperation. Its tools include investment promotion, infrastructure and project funding, trade promotion measures, balance-of-payments assistance and mixed credits. Seco is also the major player in planning a debt relief strategy for the world’s most heavily-indebted countries.

While emergency aid focuses on areas of greatest need, SDC bilateral development cooperation concentrates on 21 priority countries and regions as well as on special programs. Sustainable impact always takes center stage here. Work in Eastern Europe focuses on 11 countries. The SDC works multilaterally with UN specialized agencies, the World Bank and regional development banks.

The SDC manages its on-site activities through 32 Cooperation Offices. In 2002 it was active worldwide with about 1,000 projects. Roughly 500 people in Switzerland and abroad work for the SDC along with 600 employed locally in SDC project countries. The SHA has 700 mission-ready members. About 100 specialists are on standby at any one time.

The Department for Development and Transition at seco has about 50 specialists working in close cooperation with the SDC to ensure a responsible and coordinated implementation of the economic measures of official development cooperation and the use of resources.

More about the activities of SDC:

• About SDC