The overarching objective of international cooperation is to end poverty and support sustainable development worldwide. It is an integral part of Swiss foreign and security policy. The International Cooperation Strategy 2025-2028 sets out Switzerland’s priorities for development and economic cooperation, humanitarian aid and the promotion of peace and human rights.
Saving lives and ensuring access to basic services; contributing to sustainable economic growth; protecting the environment and combating climate change; promoting peace and human rights, and strengthening democracy and the rule of law. These are the objectives set by Switzerland’s International Cooperation Strategy 2025-2028.
The strategy is implemented by the SDC and the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the FDFA and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER).
International cooperation activities are based on a constitutional and statutory mandate.
Saving lives, alleviating human suffering and providing access to high-quality basic services for the most disadvantaged: United Nations estimates indicate that 339 million people worldwide were dependent on humanitarian aid in 2023 and around 117 million had been displaced or were stateless – both distressing negative records. International cooperation has therefore implemented disaster protection measures to reach people in emergency situations and to enable migrants and those forcibly displaced to secure their livelihoods.
Create decent jobs by establishing suitable framework conditions and fostering a vibrant local economy and private sector: economic crises, the rising cost of living and high inflation have a disproportionately strong impact on low-income countries. People on low incomes and disadvantaged groups are at particular risk of slipping deeper or falling back into poverty. This is why international cooperation supports the creation of decent jobs and the strengthening of economic framework conditions, and promotes the local private sector.
Guarantee environmentally friendly development, resilient to climate change and natural hazards, for the benefit of the most disadvantaged: Over a third of people live somewhere that is seriously jeopardised by climate change, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Extreme weather events, loss of harvests and water shortages have increased again, jeopardising the food security of millions of people. Half of the world’s population will live in water-scarce regions by 2025. International cooperation therefore supports the development of sustainable, resilient measures against the negative consequences of climate change.
Resolving conflicts, promoting peace: around a quarter of the world’s population lived in conflict-affected regions at the beginning of 2023. Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine has definitively reminded us that peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted. In various contexts, authoritarian tendencies have increased and the erosion of the rule of law has intensified, and the world is a long way from achieving gender equality. Through its international cooperation activities, Switzerland endeavours to establish and secure peace, helps governments to set up governance systems and promotes the principles of the rule of law.
Parliament has set a maximum financial framework of CHF 11.12 billion for the International Cooperation Strategy 2025-2028 with five commitment appropriations. CHF 1.5 billion is earmarked for supporting Ukraine and CHF 1.6 billion for combating climate change.
The actual budget is approved annually by Parliament. Parliament has made CHF 2.4 billion available for 2025.
Even though the war in Ukraine and its consequences have a significant place in this strategy, Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition and its interests require it to maintain its activities in the rest of the world. The four priority regions of the 2021-2024 strategy – sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe – will be retained. Switzerland will mainly focus its international cooperation activities on 40 priority countries and seven protracted crises.
Last update 13.11.2025
