The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation implements the Federal Council’s foreign policy on humanitarian aid, development cooperation and cooperation with Eastern Europe. Switzerland's international cooperation for the 2017–20 period pursues seven strategic goals which are designed to meet foreign policy challenges and build on Switzerland’s unique expertise.
The SDC's activities are designed to reduce poverty and hardship, curb global risks, and promote development that preserves natural resources for future generations. The SDC focuses its efforts on fragile and conflict-affected regions, where almost two-thirds of the world’s poor will be living by 2030, because there can be no peace without sustainable development, and there can be no sustainable development without peace. The SDC supports countries in their efforts to overcome poverty- and development-related problems, thereby enabling disadvantaged population groups to have better access to basic education and healthcare. The SDC helps find solutions for environmental problems and creates better prospects for young people and women, both through vocational skills development and income generation.
International cooperation for the 2017–20 period pursues seven strategic goals:
Save lives and alleviate suffering: that is the mission of Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is guided by international humanitarian law and the internationally recognised principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
As an expression of Switzerland’s solidarity with people in need, Swiss Humanitarian Aid activities are centred on the victims of crises, disasters and conflicts, and are founded on shared values such as the inalienable dignity of every individual.
The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit provides direct aid via immediate response interventions and seconds specialists to multilateral organisations.
Switzerland’s cooperation with Eastern Europe contributes to building democracy and social market economies in five countries in the Western Balkans and in five former states of the former Soviet Union. Cooperation with Eastern Europe includes transition cooperation and Switzerland’s contribution to the new member states of the EU. Transition cooperation between the SDC and SECO promotes the rule of law, democracy and the social market economy, and strengthens civil society. In this way, Switzerland contributes to stability in politically volatile regions and provides people there with better prospects.
With the enlargement contribution, Switzerland invests in the stability and prosperity of the enlarged EU and reduces economic and social disparity.
The SDC’s South Cooperation Department contributes to reducing poverty in 21 countries and regions of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Its main priority is to provide disadvantaged population groups with access to basic services (basic healthcare and education) and infrastructure (water), as well as employment and income generation opportunities.
The SDC's over 800 programmes and projects revolve around the ten themes below. In each case, the focus is geared to the particular needs of each partner country.
Through its work at the multilateral level – with organisations such as the UN, the World Bank and regional development banks, for example – Switzerland is helping to resolve development issues that are becoming increasingly complex.
With its global programmes in the areas of climate change, food security, migration and water, the SDC is tackling these global challenges in tandem with its efforts to reduce poverty.
