Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

2009 Annual Report on Switzerland’s international cooperation: Development cooperation is effective

Bern, Press releases, 13.07.2010

In the last five years 370'000 people have gained access to drinking water as a result of Swiss support. In Tanzania, where Switzerland is strongly committed in the health-care sector, child mortality has fallen by 40% in the last ten years. These and other results are presented in the Annual Report on Switzerland’s International Cooperation. In 2009, Switzerland channelled 0.47% of its gross national income to Official development assistance, placing it in the mid-range of OECD donor countries.

The report on international cooperation (comprising development cooperation, cooperation with Eastern Europe, and humanitarian aid) was produced by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO). It is structured according to geographical areas of intervention and takes concrete examples to show where Swiss contributions have solved local, regional and global problems in the areas of development cooperation and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as in humanitarian aid.  Among the reasons for the success of Swiss assistance are its long-term and continual commitment as well as the systematic inclusion of local people and knowledge in the design of its programmes.  

2009 was characterised by the global financial and economic crises which led to cuts in the budgets for education and health-care projects in a number of Switzerland’s partner countries. Bilateral development cooperation agencies and the regional finance institutions helped to alleviate the impact of these cuts.   

Development cooperation is an investment in the future. Demands are increasingly being made on development cooperation to help overcome the effects of climate change. Fighting poverty and the adverse effects of climate change are closely related. Switzerland, a highly globalised and innovative country, is able to provide concrete solutions to overcome global risks, e.g. through the transfer of technology for saving energy or investments in forest protection.    

The report is available in German, French and English and can be obtained free of charge at: publikationen@eda.admin.ch  

For further information, please contact:

Adrian Sollberger, FDFA, spokesman, phone +41 31 322 31 53, info@eda.admin.ch 

Markus Spörndli, SECO, Communications Officer, phone +41 31 324 09 10, markus.spoerndli@seco.admin.ch

Address for enquiries:

Information FDFA
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: (+41) 031 322 31 53
Fax: (+41) 031 324 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Last update 19.07.2023

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