Selected Results 2015
Through its international cooperation work, Switzerland is active in a number of countries for sustainable economic growth. SDC and SECO projects and programmes achieved a wide range of outcomes in 2015.
The SDC has many years of experience in private sector development in the countries in which it operates. Engaging in development-oriented private sector partnerships has been of great importance. The not-for-profit association Swiss Capacity Building Facility consists of the SDC and various private companies. The NGO provides technical assistance to financial institutions in developing countries, such as insurance companies, microfinance institutions and savings and commercial banks, to help them scale up their outreach to poor people. Based on the progress achieved to date, its target of 720 000 new clients should be reached by the end of 2017.
Middle East and North Africa
SECO activities improve conditions for business, facilitate access to financing for SMEs and encourage responsible business practices. SECO has supported a programme in the Middle East and North Africa since 1992 to create a better business environment and services for SMEs, and to develop sustainable microfinance and banking services. The results to date are encouraging. In 2015 13 financial institutions in 5 countries or regions where microfinance services were supported granted a total of 960,779 microloans worth around USD 729 million in total. Some 549,721 loans were given to women and 5,986 to SMEs, totalling USD 413 million.
Colombia
SECO promotes trade that is socially responsible, environmentally friendly and inclusive. In Colombia SECO is helping cocoa producers' associations with sustainable cocoa production. By 2015, the support had benefited 2,020 people directly and 2,700 indirectly (a third of these were women). Thanks to this help, last year the Red Cacaotera network of local producers exported 132 tonnes of high quality speciality cocoa to Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Japan, 46% more than the year before.
