Fighting corruption – a major barrier to development
Corruption hinders development, causing the disappearance of crucial financial resources, the erosion of public trust and a general sense of powerlessness and injustice that can escalate to full-blown conflict. Corruption hits poor and vulnerable groups the hardest as they cannot afford bribes to obtain public services. The SDC is therefore determined to combat corruption.
Fighting corruption is one of Switzerland's key priorities and vital to establishing good governance. Responsible and transparent action on the part of governments and the imposition of sanctions for corrupt acts are major weapons in fighting corruption.
Key objectives are ensuring that public funds are used effectively and efficiently for development within a particular country and building public trust in the government. The SDC also aims to stop corrupt practices that subvert government institutions and political processes and to create a more level playing field, which helps reduce tensions.
Focus of action
The SDC works to combat petty corruption that affects people's everyday lives, such as paying bribes for medical care. It also fights large-scale corruption involving powerful politicians and business leaders, with substantial sums changing hands. The SDC uses a two-pronged approach to tackle these issues: firstly, supporting specific anti-corruption programmes and secondly, incorporating anti-corruption measures into other areas of work. The SDC works to address all aspects of corruption, ranging from bribery, fraud and embezzlement to nepotism, unfair price-fixing and extortion.
The SDC is involved, for example, in initiatives to curb illicit financial flows and repatriate stolen assets. It strives to ensure that such funds are invested in development projects that benefit communities. The SDC is also committed to implementing international agreements, utilising global donor platforms, and working in partnership with anti-corruption centres of excellence.
Switzerland calls for greater transparency in budget management and the introduction of integrity standards for government agencies and private sector entities. Further measures include promoting citizens' initiatives and investigative journalism aimed at exposing and fighting corruption. The deployment of new information technologies is essential to implementing these measures. Efforts to bolster anti-corruption expertise at national level are also targeted at independent supervisory bodies, such as anti-corruption authorities, auditors and parliamentary finance committees.
The SDC is working to achieve a consistent anti-corruption policy in consultation with other federal offices, civil society organisations and the private sector. The SDC is also building on its own expertise by raising awareness among SDC staff and SDC partners and providing appropriate training. It also keeps a close eye on internal coordination and cultivates effective external networks.
The SDC lays down clear rules of conduct, has appropriate internal control mechanisms in place, and conducts internal and external audits at regular intervals. It regularly assesses corruption risks, undertakes risk assessments in relation to partners, defines appropriate countermeasures, and imposes sanctions where required. In carrying out this work, Switzerland adopts the recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for managing corruption risks.
Zero tolerance policy
If the SDC were to be affected by corruption, payments would normally be suspended pending the results of a legal investigation. In addition, the SDC strives to recover misappropriated funds in all circumstances.
Where can suspected instances of corruption be reported?
The FDFA Compliance Office is responsible for dealing with any instances of corruption or abuse which are reported within the FDFA or by external parties in connection with SDC-funded activities.
FDFA Compliance Office – Reporting corruption, misappropriation of funds and abuses
Alternatively, suspected instances of corruption may be reported on the whistleblowing platform of the Swiss Federal Audit Office.
Links
In focus: Fight against illicit financial flows
FDFA Compliance Office – Reporting corruption, misappropriation of funds and abuses
Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) whistleblowing platform
World Bank, “Anti-Corruption Policies and Programs – A Framework for Evaluation”
Transparency International – Global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption
Documents
Current projects
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.
Strengthening local governance and civic space in Uzbekistan
01.05.2024
- 31.12.2028
The programme will strengthen inclusive local governance, gender-based violence prevention and the civic space in Uzbekistan. It promotes an active civil society and civic engagement of youth and vulnerable groups at local level (locally-led development). Switzerland brings high credibility in local governance and human rights and acts as convenor and bridge builder. The multi-stakeholder set up with UN, non-governmental organizations and local authorities offers a variety of entry points, allowing agile steering in the complex political environment.
Good Financial Governance (GFG)
01.05.2024
- 30.04.2027
The project contributes to strengthen Tanzania’s public financial system, a central element to cement its economic status. The 3rd phase aims at expanding the mobilization of domestic revenue and improving the government’s expenditure control. It shall strengthen interinstitutional mechanisms for tax data exchange, enhance the audit system, and improve public procurement. At policy level, it seeks to develop an evidence-based and gender responsive fiscal strategy for better public service delivery to benefit the population, especially the poor.
Decentralisation for inclusive development
01.01.2024
- 31.12.2025
Mozambique implements the decentralization reform as agreed in the Maputo Peace Agreement brokered by Switzerland in 2018. Considering political power sharing highly relevant for the country’s stability, the programme supports the effective implementation of the decentralisation’s policies and reforms. The interventions aim to improve the quality of basic services delivered by local governments in Niassa and Nampula provinces, and to enhance accountability, transparency, inclusion and equity in the local decision-making processes through civic participation.
Strengthening Civil Society in Myanmar – Paung Ku
01.07.2023
- 30.06.2027
In Myanmar, civic space has considerably shrunk since the military coup. In the absence of a legitimate government, networks of independent civil society organisations (CSOs) are essential actors for basic service provision and promotion of democratic values and human rights. Showing commitment to localisation, Switzerland will enable local CSOs to further support vulnerable communities and to protect the foundations of a pluralistic and inclusive society.
Consolidating Community Recovery, Peace-building and Local Governance (COMPEL)
01.05.2023
- 31.12.2025
Somalia is slowly emerging from one of the most complex and protracted conflicts. Over the past decade, peacebuilding and state-building processes, while navigating conflict, climate crisis and political fragility, maintained an incrementally positive trajectory. In investing in civil society engagement and building of local institutions and capacities all over Somalia, Switzerland is contributing in the establishment and strengthening of sustainable, community-driven, inclusive institutions necessary to deliver services and sustainable peace.
Accountability for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda 2023-2026
01.03.2023
- 28.02.2026
The implementation of the 2030 Agenda is guided by a follow-up and review process that supports accountability for the Agenda at national, regional and global levels. With this contribution to a set of partners notably from civil society, Switzerland enables key stakeholders to take part in the review processes for more inclusive monitoring of progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind.
Somalia: Strengthening State Institutions for better service delivery
01.03.2023
- 31.12.2025
The Multi-Partner-Fund (MPF) provided an umbrella to prepare the World Bank’s (WB) re-engagement in Somalia. It has become a powerful tool for donors to pool resources and enabled the WB to engage with Somali authorities to gradually advance reform implementation related to revenue and financial policy, as well as public financial management (PFM). Through this project, Switzerland supports the incremental strengthening of core state institutions in Somalia and contributes ultimately to stability and socio-economic recovery of the country.
SYNAD - Programme d’Appui au Système National de Décentralisation
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2026
Au Burkina Faso, les institutions nationales sont encore insuffisamment capables d’assurer leurs tâches de coordination, de financement et d’appui technique à la décentralisation. La Suisse soutient les institutions chargées de mettre en œuvre cette réforme, afin d’accroître l’accès aux services de base, de réduire la pauvreté et de prévenir l’extrémisme violent. Elle reste engagée en combinant ses instruments de coopération et montre son soutien dans un contexte de crises sécuritaire et humanitaire.
Programme de Valorisation du Potentiel Agro-Pastoral dans l’Est du Burkina Faso (VALPAPE) Phase 3
01.01.2023
- 31.01.2026
La région de l’Est du Burkina Faso est affectée par une grave crise sécuritaire et humanitaire qui risque d’annihiler les bons résultats des dernières années sur le plan agropastoral. Aussi, la Suisse veut contribuer à la sauvegarde des acquis de développement tout en renforçant les moyens d'existence des personnes vulnérables touchées par des déplacements. En facilitant leur réinsertion socioéconomique, le programme participe à réduire leur vulnérabilité à l’extrême pauvreté et à l’insécurité alimentaire.
Contribution to non-state local governance actors
15.11.2022
- 31.12.2026
The project is a contribution to and a strategic partnership with the Coalition of three major non-state actors in the promotion and strengthening of local governance in Kyrgyzstan. They will be financially and technically capacitated and empowered to play their role in advancing local democracy and local governance for the benefit of people in Kyrgyzstan. The partnership builds on over 10 years of Swiss support in local governance in Kyrgyzstan as well as on ownership by the government.
Bashki të Forta (BtF) - Strong Municipalities
01.08.2022
- 30.09.2026
The project aims at strengthening capacities of all 61 albanian municipalities (executive and councils) to assume their functions. Citizens will benefit from improved services based on standards and reliable data. A national performance based system of grants will contribute to improve municipal governance and will incentivise municipalities to perform better.