Natural resources and development

View of a large open-cast phosphate mine in Togo.
Developing countries such as Togo have an abundance of natural resources. The SDC is committed to ensuring that these are exploited fairly © Alexandra Pugachevsky

Exploiting natural resources is crucial to the economies of many developing countries and Swiss companies play a key role in commodities trading. Natural resources can be used to alleviate traditional forms of poverty, but many countries fail to take this step. The SDC aims to address this problem. 

The commodities sector is becoming increasingly important in developing countries. According to a 2016 report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 91 developing countries in 2015 were dependent on commodities, where commodity exports accounted for more than 60% of a country's total merchandise exports. The World Bank also estimates that Africa alone is home to about 30% of the world's mineral reserves. Certain minerals, such as cobalt and tantalum, which are used extensively in electronic products, mainly come from fragile countries. 

With the expansion of 'clean' industries and technologies, the demand for minerals is set to increase, generating significant investment in exploration and developing new mines.

The various backgrounds and roles of the stakeholders involved have been debated for years by the academic community, international development policy committees, governments and civil society. The macroeconomic effects of exploiting natural resources and the factors causing price volatility have also been assessed. Attention has also been focused on extraction practices that cause damage to health and the environment, exploitative working conditions and conflicts over access to natural resources, which have the potential to unleash violence or even armed conflict.

Issues relating to financial flows from commodities trading are also the subject of intense debate. In general, funds that have been acquired illegally, or in questionable circumstances, and are transferred abroad present a major obstacle to economic growth and good governance in developing countries. There is broad consensus that illicit outflows from developing countries exceed the value of official development assistance many times over. A high percentage of these financial flows are attributable to commodities production and trading.

Switzerland is a key player in the commodities trading sector. It is estimated that more than 3 billion tonnes of commodities, calculated at over CHF 960 billion, are traded in Switzerland each year. In a report entitled 'The Swiss commodities sector: current situation and outlook' published in November 2018, the Federal Council states that it expects all companies operating in or out of Switzerland to demonstrate integrity and responsible conduct with regard to respect for human rights as well as environmental and social standards, both within Switzerland and abroad. The Federal Council also states that this applies to the entire value chain and is especially important for companies that operate in fragile states. 

 The SDC's main areas of activity

  • The SDC is committed to raising international standards for commodities production and trading and ensuring that governments and companies properly implement such standards.
  • Switzerland supports the implementation of multilateral instruments in the fight to control corruption and illicit financial flows.
  • In terms of international development cooperation, the SDC is committed to assisting its commodity producing partner countries in managing natural resources and creating sustainable value chains.
  • By supporting research and multi-stakeholder platforms, Switzerland is contributing to a better understanding of both the challenges and opportunities facing developing countries in relation to mining.

Current projects

Object 1 – 12 of 369

Asset Recovery Strategic Partnerships

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2029

Switzerland supports strategic partners in asset recovery who provide technical assistance to countries, advocate for international standards, and facilitate knowledge and exchange on international efforts and ongoing cases. The partnerships leverage Switzerland’s potential to influence the agenda more effectively, facilitate the integration of international best practices in ongoing restitution negotiations, and help ensure that returned assets benefit the populations of states of origin.


Core Contribution to the Interna-tional Fund for Public Interest Me-dia (IFPIM)

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

Public interest media in low- and middle-income countries face existential threats, impact-ing sustainable development and peace. IFPIM is an organization backing the resilience and independence of public interest media. Through SDC’s contribution to IFPIM, Swit-zerland promotes democracy by combating dis- and misinformation and ensuring media freedom and access to reliable information.


Programme D’Accès à l’Information pour une Citoyenneté Engagée (ALICE)

20.11.2024 - 31.10.2027

La peur de se faire enlever, emprisonner ou interdire d’activités, a réduit au silence la plupart des contrepouvoirs. Les populations participent peu aux débats et sont exposées à cause du manque de contenus pertinents dans les médias et la désinformation. Avec ALICE, la Suisse consolide son partenariat avec les médias en offrant une information crédible, des espaces de dialogues inclusifs et une éducation des citoyens aux médias sociaux pour combattre la désinformation.


E-Governance for Accountability and Participation (EGAP), Phase 3

01.10.2024 - 30.09.2028

Digital transformation of Ukraine’s public administration significantly contributed to its resilience in the critical war conditions. Switzerland will consolidate its support to Ukraine in promoting innovative digital tools as amplifiers of democratic reforms in socially important sectors, catalysts of sustainable recovery and effective service provision to citizens and the private sector.


Appui au Forum des ONG Internationales au Mali (FONGIM)

01.10.2024 - 30.09.2028

La présente contribution soutient le Forum des ONG Internationales au Mali en tant que plateforme efficace de coordination, de plaidoyer et de renforcement des capacités des ONG humanitaires et de développement au Mali. Le FONGIM permet aux partenaires de la DDC au Mali de mener leurs activités sur le terrain de manière efficace en assurant un rôle d’interface avec l’administration malienne.


Programme Redevabilité - Phase 3

01.10.2024 - 30.09.2028

La Suisse soutient le Bénin dans l’amélioration de sa gouvernance démocratique et l’efficacité de la fourniture des services publics aux usagers, en adoptant une approche systémique axée sur la demande et l’offre de redevabilité, tout en valorisant une citoyenneté active et inclusive. Forte de sa crédibilité, la Suisse poursuit son appui à la consolidation de l’État de droit par l’accès à la justice, la lutte contre la corruption et la promotion de la transparence et la responsabilité dans l’action publique.


Enhanced Protection and Support to the Most Vulnerable Children, notably Refugee Children, in Lebanon

16.08.2024 - 15.08.2027

Children of all nationalities in Lebanon are affected by the country’s multifaceted crisis and collapse of public services. They face heightened risks of abuse, exploitation and violence, and of getting in contact or even in conflict with the law. Specific groups like refugee children are particularly at risk of seeing their rights violated. Through this project, NGOs and UNICEF will jointly enhance the protection of children from violence by providing them with crucial legal and protection services and by improving the child-friendliness of the justice system (nexus).


Public Service Improvement (PSI) in the Kyrgyz Republic

01.08.2024 - 31.07.2028

To improve people's quality of life, municipalities need to deliver efficiently and effectively services such as safe drinking water, waste collection, cultural facilities in a socially inclusive and gender responsive manner. In rural Kyrgyzstan, their capacities still need to be improved in a sustainable way. To achieve this, the project will develop the municipalities' support system which shall then provide adequate counseling and training to those municipalities today and in the long run.


Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine 2 (PFRU-2)

01.08.2024 - 31.12.2027

The Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU) unites eight development partners (UK, US, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands) and the Government of Ukraine to strengthen communities and government legitimacy through improved services, economic recovery and strengthened civil society. With its contribution, Switzerland can shape the development and deployment of an innovative multi-donor financing instrument in Ukraine to support its resilience and early recovery.


Participation citoyenne et prévention des conflits au Burundi (PCPC)

01.08.2024 - 31.12.2026

Au Burundi, le système politique ne permet pas un espace suffisant pour la participation citoyenne inclusive, la redevabilité et le respect des droits humains, ce qui rend difficile la prévention et la gestion des conflits. Par cette intervention la Suisse contribue à l’instauration progressive de pratiques démocratiques promouvant un environnement favorable à la participation citoyenne et l’opérationnalisation des mécanismes de gestion des conflits au niveau communautaire, ce qui a un impact positif sur la consolidation/capitalisation de la paix et la cohésion sociale.


Programme de Participation citoyenne et Prévention des conflits (PCPC)

01.08.2024 - 31.12.2026

L’Est de la RDC est confronté, depuis plus de deux décennies, à une situation d’insécurité avec une dégradation des droits de l’homme, de la cohésion sociale et de la situation humanitaire. Par ce programme, la Suisse entend contribuer à la promotion de la paix et le respect des droits humains en renforçant les capacités institutionnelles des entités territoriales décentralisées (ETD) et des structures locales de règlement des conflits et en favorisant la collaboration entre les institutions étatiques locales et les acteurs clés de la société civile.


Programme de Protection et Promotion Sociale Réactive aux Chocs (PROMES)

01.08.2024 - 31.07.2027

PROMES vise à renforcer la résilience de la population vulnérable d’Haiti. Une contribution de la Suisse au Programme Alimentaire Mondial permet de déployer un filet de protection sociale déjà testé et développé conjointement avec les autorités locales dans un nouveau département. En appuyant une ONG locale, le programme va consolider les résultats de la phase 1 dans le Sud-Est. Au niveau local dans le Sud, PROMES permettra d’améliorer les capacités de relèvement financier rapide en cas de catastrophes.

Object 1 – 12 of 369