deza-seco-jahresbericht-2022-en

"The challenges facing our partner countries are greater than they have ever been: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, food shortages, debt crisis and inflation. Through its international cooperation work, Switzerland is ideally placed to help countries tackle these problems and provide specific assistance on a bilateral basis, e.g. in Ukraine, regional basis, e.g. in Central Asia, and on a multilateral level by working with development banks. We achieved a great deal last year and will continue our efforts unabated."

Helene Budliger Artieda
Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)  

More than 7 million people depend on humanitarian assistance in Mali. Food imports have reached 70%. The regions of Mopti in the centre and Timbuktu in the north of the country are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and therefore to the risk of famine.

In partnership with the consortium ACF Spain and the International Rescue Committee, Switzerland set up a food and nutritional insecurity response project integrating protection (RIAP) in 2022. The CHF 2.8 million project covers the regions of Mopti and Timbuktu.

RIAP was designed using a nexus approach, combining humanitarian and development interventions applied in conflict situations.

Among the emergency aid measures, RIAP provides targeted food assistance in the form of cash transfers during the agricultural lean season, between June and November. During this period, villages are at risk of food shortages because the previous year's reserves are exhausted and new harvests are not yet ready.

Thanks to these measures, beneficiaries can buy seeds and other agricultural inputs, stock up on food and fodder and continue their activities.

Mossa has received support for his family garden: "Every day I harvest cabbages, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots and aubergines". When his harvest is good, he shares his produce with his neighbours.

Within the framework of RIAP, Switzerland is also committed to ensuring that the population can use agricultural and pastoral land without being exposed to abuse. The project thus contributes to reducing risks and promoting a protective environment.

Advocacy actions are undertaken to mitigate the impact of armed conflict on the population by mobilising community or religious leaders close to the armed groups.

To date, RIAP has covered the food and nutritional needs of over 30,000 people. Thanks to a system of early detection, children suffering from malnutrition are rapidly treated. Pregnant and breastfeeding women also  benefit from nutritional monitoring.

In addition, an innovative monitoring mechanism using satellite imagery and agricultural monitoring allows data on the food situation and population movements to be collected and analysed and communicated to the responsible authorities.

For further information:
SDC website: Mali

"Recently, the town hall asked us to accompany them to the villages to present the general report, which has never happened here in Tanout before", says an online activist from the town of Tanout.

The online activists' best posts were entered into a competition. A need remains to build the capacity of elected officials to use digital technologies and to encourage more young women to get involved in online activism.

Rainatou Hamidou Ousmane
Facebook profile (fr)
Facebook post (fr)

Moustapha Elh Adam
Facebook profile (fr)
Facebook post (fr)

For further information:
PAGOD YouTube: Activisme numérique (fr)

Afghanistan is currently undergoing one of the biggest humanitarian crises worldwide. Almost half of the Afghan population is suffering from malnutrition, and the trend is rising. A record 24.4 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in 2022 – some six million more than in the previous year. According to estimates, the number will reach 28 million in 2023.

Despite the extremely precarious circumstances, Switzerland retains its active commitment in the country, in solidarity with the Afghan people. As soon as the Taliban came to power, the SDC adapted its programme to the new circumstances, thus ensuring a pragmatic continuation of aid. It has USD 30 million at its disposal for this purpose. The SDC helps to protect human rights and meet basic needs. The key focus areas of its programme are: 

• Human rights
• Basic needs 
• Food security 
• Basic education 
• Agriculture

The Swiss cooperation office in Kabul was temporarily closed when the Taliban took power in August 2021. The team has been temporarily integrated into the Swiss embassy in Islamabad until a return to Afghanistan is possible. Visits to SDC partners in Afghanistan take place on a regular basis.

The prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had an enormous impact on survivors, most of whom are women and girls. Men who have been unable to protect their female family members often reject them out of shame and concerns about the family's reputation, and often engage in violence themselves. Men who are active in conflicts resort to violence because of their own psychosocial distress and trauma. The low status of women and girls in Congolese society and unequal power relations between men and women foster the use of violence.

The aim of the project is to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, mostly women and girls, to process their trauma and regain control of their lives, while improving their status within their families and communities. To this end, men affected by armed conflict also receive psychosocial support and group counselling. Together with women, they reflect on and work through the trauma of war and begin to develop positive attitudes towards their female household and community members.

In less than three months, SHA teams repaired 11 schools and eight suspension bridges to enable the valley's inhabitants and children to regain access to local markets and schools. The SHA rehabilitated 16 water systems and implemented cash-for-work programmes to mobilise local labour to clear roads of debris, mud and other obstacles. Local communities were involved in the design and implementation of all these activities, which benefited over 30,000 people.

In total, the SDC allocated CHF 3 million to respond to the consequences of this disaster in Pakistan. CHF 2 million supported the activities of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as part of the UN's emergency appeal. The IOM was active in the southern provinces of the country, which were particularly affected by the disaster. In addition, CHF 200,000 was granted to the NGO Helvetas, which carried out projects in the areas of drinking water, distribution of food and medicines, as well as basic necessities in the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The rest of the funding covered activities carried out by the SDC.

Swiss cooperation prioritises local governance in Haiti, with women mayors playing a vital role in partnerships to increase the proportion of women in municipal staff. This cooperation also involves working closely with Haiti's National Federation of Women, an organisation representing women mayors nationwide.

The UNDP responds to countries that seek assistance by advising on their digital strategies and governance frameworks, implementing digital public infrastructure, deploying inclusive digital solutions, and fostering digital literacy for all. The UNDP offers notably the “Digital Readiness Assessment” which takes a whole-of-society approach to planning and strategising digital transformation, resulting in more inclusive and equitable national-level digital strategies. In Mauritania, the UNDP's Digital Readiness Assessment helped create the first government agency for digital transformation.

This work demonstrates that digital transformation can be a driver for more sustainable and inclusive development in relation to public services, economic development, resilience building and climate adaptation. In Bangladesh, for example, the UNDP supported the government’s flagship programme 'Digital Bangladesh' to improve access to public services through a network of more than 5,800 digital centres. This distribution model means that people now do not need to travel more than 4km to access basic services.

In Ukraine, the UNDP is helping to sustain essential government services, including through support to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, making digital platforms and processes more relevant for the provision of wartime digital public services. The UNDP notably supported the design of the Diia portal and Diia mobile app, where Ukrainians can apply for financial assistance. As of February 2023, 1.4 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine have registered and applied for monthly financial assistance through this e-solution, which is providing a digital lifeline for people on the move.

In India, the UNDP has supported the government’s implementation of CoWIN (COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) - the digital backbone of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, which is one of the world’s largest. This open and inclusive platform aims for universal vaccination and enables monitoring of vaccine utilisation, coverage and  wastage throughout the system. CoWIN has achieved great results, as it registered 1.1 billion people (84% of the country’s total population) for COVID vaccination and been used to deliver 2.04 billion doses, resulting in over 855 million people being fully vaccinated (two doses) as of July 2022.In India, the UNDP has supported the government’s implementation of CoWIN (COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) - the digital backbone of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, which is one of the world’s largest. This open and inclusive platform aims for universal vaccination and enables monitoring of vaccine utilisation, coverage and wastage throughout the system. CoWIN has achieved great results, as it registered 1.1 billion people (84% of the country’s total population) for COVID vaccination and been used to deliver 2.04 billion doses, resulting in over 855 million people being fully vaccinated (two doses) as of July 2022.  

For further information:
UNDP Digital Strategy 2022-2025
A digital lifeline for Ukrainians on the move
Digital solutions for improved vaccine access

The constituency representatives discussed how their countries are tackling the economic and social challenges raised by Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Other topics on the agenda were energy and food security, economic stability and climate change – issues affecting all countries in the constituency.

At a seminar, the countries presented examples of how they are dealing with the opportunities and risks for the economy, society, the environment and the financial system. Switzerland underscored the importance of the World Bank Group and the IMF in helping countries achieve the development goals of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement.

Over the past 30 years, the constituency countries have established a great deal of trust and – as evidenced in Bad Ragaz – this facilitates cooperation among them. Switzerland's contribution as head of the constituency was acknowledged by all members. This also gave Switzerland an opportunity to address issues such as governance and the sustainable energy transition.

The programme focuses on improving people's livelihoods, enabling them to be economically active so that they can exit the programme.

To achieve this, access to financial services and small enterprise development are promoted. Savings and investment support groups help people meet their daily expenses and run their own businesses. So far, over 30,000 savings groups with over 400,000 members have been mobilised. This is followed up with training and business coaching. 

Switzerland supports 200 beneficiaries from Kilosa, Misungwi, Singida and Pemba district councils in this process. With the lessons learnt, the project will be further scaled up to include other districts.

In 2021/22, the programme reached over 1.3 million households (55.7% women). The programme has a significant impact on the voice of women in the use of income and in children's health and education issues. The payment of the introduced disability pension has reached around 100,000 households.

Today, these five hospitals care for more than 80% of all seriously sick and injured children in the country – and give 2,500 Cambodians a job. "The Kantha Bopha hospitals are now run as public university hospitals and are an essential part of the Cambodian health system. This is a big step in terms of development," said SDC Director General Patricia Danzi at the signing of the contribution agreement with the chairman of the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital Foundation, Dr Philip Robinson.

The hospitals have developed a solid model of highly specialised paediatric services that can care for more than one million outpatients and inpatients per year. In addition, more than 20,000 babies are born every year at the maternity clinic in Siem Reap.

"We are very grateful for the SDC's long-standing support", said Chairman of the Kantha Bopha Foundation Board of Trustees Dr Robinson, adding that the support would make it possible to ensure sustainable financing for the hospitals in the years to come. "Thanks to the commitment of the Cambodian government and the foundation's many patrons in Switzerland, we will be able to safeguard the operation of our hospitals and the provision of proper medical care for children and mothers in Cambodia in the long term."

Dr. Philip Robinson (2nd from right)

The SDC will continue to work with the Kantha Bopha Foundation and the Cambodian government to further integrate the hospitals into the health sector, for example by linking them to the social health insurance system, which is currently in its preparatory stages.

For further information:
SDC webseite: Mekong region

Early warning systems (EWS) are a proven, effective, and feasible climate adaptation measure that saves lives and provides a tenfold return on investment. However, one third of the world’s population, mainly in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), are still not covered by early warning systems. Early warning systems, climate services and disaster risk management are key cross-cutting adaptation options that, when combined, enhance the benefits of other adaptation measures when combined.

Adaptation to weather and climate hazards urgently requires early warning as well as preparedness and response plans, but national agencies and services in many developing countries remain unable to meet this demand. The Climate Risks and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative was launched in 2015 as an innovative pooled financing mechanism to support LDCs and SIDS in the provision of multi-hazard early-warning systems that lead to early action, in order to efficiently reduce impacts and adapt to increasing weather and climate-related risk.

Since 2016, CREWS has assisted 74 LDCs and SIDS to develop early warning systems through national and regional projects. For instance, in Burkina Faso, CREWS is bringing much-needed advanced weather advisories to small-scale rural farmers across the country’s northern region through daily radio broadcasts. About 80% of Burkina Faso’s 22 million people are employed in the agricultural sector and benefit from expanded access to early warning systems. The project also includes a sand and dust storm warning system that covers Burkina Faso as well as which is extended to Senegal, Chad, Mali, Niger, Cape Verde and Mauritania.

In 2022, the UN launched the Early Warnings for All Initiative, with the ambition to cover all of the earth’s population with early warning systems within 5 years. Its Action Plan includes a new scaling-up framework developed by the CREWS Initiative and Green Climate Fund. CREWS is considered widely recognised as as the key mechanism to help LDCs and SIDS to achieve the goals of the Early Warnings for All Initiative.

For further information:
CREWS website
UNDRR website
GFDRR website
WMO website
WMO website: Early Warnings for All

In the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, for example, Switzerland is making its mark: here, mountain guides, ski instructors and tour operators rave about Pontresina and Arosa, the Swiss ski resorts they visited for training and inspiration with the support of Swiss development cooperation.

SomRep has mobilised such funds during drought periods to rehabilitate infrastructure (e.g. wells, livestock pens, fodder production sites), provide safe drinking water and distribute non-food items (hygiene products, medicines, mosquito nets, clothing).

Contingency funds are an innovative nexus instrument that is mainly used in fragile contexts characterised by a variety of crises (armed conflicts, climate crises, etc.).

For further information:
SDC website: Horn of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya)

As an SDC partner organisation, Fastenaktion develops and implements numerous projects worldwide which together strengthen civil society at the local level, promote gender equality and combat hunger and climate change. For example, in remote areas of central and southern Kenya, Fastenaktion is running a project to promote the widespread use of energy-efficient and affordable cooking technologies. This initiative reduces energy consumption and pollution and creates jobs for both women and men in the targeted regions.

In rural households, people traditionally cook on open three-stone fireplaces – an inefficient technique with serious environmental, health and social consequences. The new masonry cooking stoves, equipped with closed combustion chambers, cut firewood consumption by almost half. With biomass accounting for 90% of rural energy consumption, the project's economic, social and environmental potential is considerable. In nine years, over 28,000 fuel-efficient stoves have been installed, saving more than 70,000 tonnes of CO2 in total.

The cooking stove project is in line with Kenya's national energy policy and has the support of the local population: all participants benefit, civil society is strengthened, and women receive targeted economic assistance. "The stoves are more environmentally friendly and offer people a better quality of life", says Mary Mulinge, who has been building stoves with her husband for the past seven years and is one of 177 trained artisans.

For further information:
Fastenaktion website: Kochofen-Projekt Kenia (de)

“Blended finance”, a combination of public development finance and private capital, should in principle address this problem. But between 2012 and 2017 only 6% of private finance mobilised by official development finance went to the countries most in need.

Launched in 2020, the Bamboo-UNCDF Initiative for the Least Developed (BUILD) Fund is an innovative blended finance instrument designed to bring finance to SDG-oriented in LDCs and LMICs. Managed by Swiss-based Bamboo Capital Partners (BCP), the BUILD Fund has already raised USD 55 mio. The objective is to mobilise additional USD 200 million from commercial (private) investors.

The money will be invested in four sectors:

1. Food security, nutrition and agribusiness
2. Financial inclusion and innovation
3. The green economy and renewable energy
4. Local infrastructure

The amounts invested range from USD 250’000 to 2.5 million. The ambition is to improve the lives of 11 million people over 10 years of fund operations.

GTH is composed of several experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) bringing humanitarian and technical expertise in disaster risk reduction, energy, environment, shelter/housing, settlement planning, water, sanitation and hygiene. GTH collaborates with the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) for the development of innovative technical tools to support the work of UNHCR.

The inclusion of adequate communal open spaces in refugee settlements is very important for the environment. It maintains the ecological balance and reduces climate change and related disaster risks. The GTH through the EPFL has developed a guideline for site planners. With its 7 design principles, the layout of settlements for refugees and internally displaced people will become more resilient and strengthen social cohesion.

85% of displaced populations in camps use unsustainably harvested biomass, such as firewood, for cooking. This has negative consequences for indoor air quality, conflict over natural resources and the safety for women, girls and boys. It also reduces biodiversity and emits greenhouse gases.

Solar cooking makes cooking cleaner, safer and more sustainable. The GTH evaluated the technology and product readiness of solar-electric cooking and found that several devices were successfully tested in the field. Further research and outreach will be conducted to achieve also commercial viability.

For further information:
UNHCR website: Geneva Technical Hub

Naman Care Home is one of the enterprises supported through the COVID–19 Fund. This care home for the elderly was founded in Kathmandu in 2018. During the pandemic crisis, its reserves were almost completely depleted. The loan has enabled Naman Care Home to guarantee the quality of its healthcare, improve protection measures, take in new patients and preserve jobs.

Leather Wings is another SME that has received support from the fund. "The financial and technical support enabled us to recover from the crisis, continue our activities and retain our staff", says Suraj Dahal of Leather Wings. Founded almost 40 years ago, the company manufactures leather shoes and employs around 60 people. The funding programme also helped the company reach out to other private investors.

This is why the Federal Council decided in October 2022 that Switzerland would support the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) with USD 75 million. PIDG mobilises private sector capital for building climate-friendly infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and in South and Southeast Asia. It uses public funds to lower the risk of investing in infrastructure projects, making it possible to mobilise private sector funds that would otherwise not flow into developing countries.

With PIDG's support, for example, the Ninh Thuan solar park was built in southern Vietnam. This has a generation capacity of 168MW and serves almost 200,000 people.

Switzerland has supported PIDG since its inception in 2002. Since then, PIDG has:

• mobilised USD 37.6 billion, of which USD 23 billion from the private sector
• provided access for 220 million people to new or improved infrastructure
• put 120 infrastructure services into operation and
• created 322,000 jobs

SECO takes a specific approach to harnessing private engagement for development cooperation. For example, it seeks agreements that generate funding and know-how from the private sector. It also facilitates private investments that deliver tangible development results, and it encourages public-private partnerships.

In 2022 SECO commissioned a study on the extent to which this approach contributes to sustainable development in its partner countries. While certain challenges were identified, the independent evaluation found that SECO has been successful overall and that these projects meet the needs of its partner countries.

The Swiss delegation visited the PT. Sumbiri garment factory in Central Java, which employs almost 4,000 people. Since 2015 it has been operating in line with the Better Work programme initiated by Switzerland and the International Labour Organization. The factory has increased its participation in social dialogue and improved cooperation, health and safety standards in the workplace.

SECO's mission falls under Switzerland's sustainable foreign economic policy and demonstrates in practice how the free trade agreement between the EFTA states and Indonesia is being implemented.

Cooperation is currently based on the Cooperation Programme 2020–23, which aims to advance reforms and strengthen democratic institutions, support digitalisation, promote sustainable urban development, strengthen SMEs, and bolster the health sector.

Ukraine was already a priority country for Switzerland's international cooperation before Russia started its military aggression. Cooperation is implemented jointly by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Peace and Human Rights Division, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

At a height of over 4,000 metres, the Bolivian Andes is home to a combination of barren soil, intense sunlight, and freezing temperatures. For local smallholder farmers, this has always been a significant challenge – one that is now becoming even more complicated because of increasing droughts and storms caused by climate change.

The goal of the inclusive markets project is to help improve living conditions for local people who farm and raise livestock in the Andean valleys and altiplano.

During the initial phase, much of Switzerland's support was channelled through Ukraine's neighbouring countries, as the situation in Ukraine was very unstable. The rapid response team set up a logistical centre on the Polish side of the border, delivered relief supplies to Romania and provided assistance to refugees in the Republic of Moldova.

The Swiss embassy in Kyiv was temporarily closed. Ambassador Claude Wild travelled with several embassy staff members from Ukraine to Moldova to continue their work from there.

Swiss aid was delivered without interruption. Switzerland supplied winter tents and hygiene facilities. In addition, it bought nearly 5,000 tonnes of locally sourced food, which was distributed in a targeted manner. Close coordination with the Ukrainian government, municipalities and local civil society ensured that aid was delivered as effectively as possible. Humanitarian Aid's work is aligned with the existing cooperation programme for 2020–23.

The Mental Health for Ukraine project is a good example. Since 2018, Switzerland has supported Ukraine in expanding its mental health facilities, implementing reforms and conducting awareness campaigns. During the initial emergency phase of the project, specialists also provided support to traumatised people from eastern Ukraine at railway stations in the west of the country. In addition, a trauma treatment project was launched in six hospitals to strengthen the mental health sector.

Switzerland adapted its existing projects to the war situation, for example in the area of urban development, where a completely new set of needs emerged. The war forced more than 12 million people to leave their homes. Many found refuge in the cities of western Ukraine, leading to a dramatic population increase in those cities. The newly arrived residents need water and electricity and access to health services. They produce waste and their children are enrolled in local schools. This presents urban planners with a whole new set of challenges.

Switzerland also lent its support to multilateral initiatives such as those of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which helps to preserve the competitiveness of SMEs. In particular, it assists SMEs in the north and east of the country which have lost their production facilities to relocate to new ones and maintain their supply chains. Robust economic framework conditions are also vital for SMEs. The EBRD's initiative also supports the reforms Ukraine needs to achieve this.

The URC is a regular event launched in 2017 under the name Ukraine Reform Conference. The conference is organised by Ukraine and a partner country. In 2021, Switzerland assumed this role from Lithuania. The conference in Lugano was renamed the Ukraine Recovery Conference because it was the first URC to be held since Russia launched its military aggression against Ukraine.

On 5 July, President Ignazio Cassis and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal presented the Lugano Declaration, which sets out the principles for Ukraine's reconstruction. Key elements are "to build back better" and the conviction that reconstruction on the one hand, and reforms, anti-corruption efforts, transparency and safeguards to ensure an independent judiciary on the other are not conflicting goals, but rather interdependent. The Lugano Declaration also stipulates that Ukraine will steer the reconstruction process.

A second additional credit of CHF 100 million was used to help Ukraine through the cold winter months. Large contributions were made to projects in the areas of emergency and humanitarian assistance, energy infrastructure and the railway system. These projects were implemented by multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

The Winter Aid Action Plan included the restoration of houses and energy infrastructure. It also meant that ongoing activities supported by the SDC were adapted to meet the newly emerging needs. Winter aid also included the delivery of equipment.

Switzerland was able to draw on the network it has built up over many years in Ukraine to reliably distribute aid throughout the country. By the end of 2022, nearly 1000 tonnes of relief supplies were delivered from Switzerland to Ukraine, including generators and portable heaters.

Through its partner organisations, Switzerland’s support helped to replace windows, doors and utility pipes, and to improve the insulation of buildings. Centres for people who were forced to leave their homes and flee to other regions in Ukraine were also renovated. Such activities contributed to preparing adequate living conditions for people during the winter months.

For example, in cooperation with the NGO Right to Protection (R2P), the SDC supported people in the regions of Sumy and Chernihiv, both of which were partly occupied. Many buildings were severely damaged, with broken windows and heating systems.

Electric heaters and fuel briquettes were distributed to help people in those regions cope with the harsh winter conditions. R2P teams of lawyers, social workers, psychologists and health advisors also travelled throughout the regions to help people in need, providing psychological support for example.

Following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, Moldova faced an unprecedented security threat and received large numbers of refugees from Ukraine transiting through or staying in Moldova. Health and social protection systems are overstretched and the needs of refugees, host communities and other vulnerable groups remain high.

The large number of refugees has also led to an increase in human trafficking. Despite these challenges, and being one of the poorest countries in Europe, Moldova has demonstrated great solidarity with people affected by the war in Ukraine.

As a result of Switzerland’s long-standing support to Moldova since 2000, the Swiss cooperation office was well positioned to support Moldova in responding to new and increasing challenges. The cooperation programme was adapted to the new situation, including through the addition of several humanitarian projects, while efforts were made to promote cooperation between humanitarian aid, development, social cohesion and peacebuilding.

A quarter of the first humanitarian aid package of CHF 80 million decided by the Federal Council in spring 2022 was used to help neighbouring countries respond to the influx of refugees from Ukraine. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) were supported with CHF 11 million to implement response plans in countries neighbouring Ukraine. The remaining funds of just over CHF 9 million were used for direct support in Moldova.