Switzerland cooperates with multilateral organisations through ongoing political dialogue and provides expertise as well as technical and financial support.
Instruments of multilateral cooperation
Switzerland has been a member of the international financial institutions (World Bank and International Monetary Fund) for over 30 years and of the United Nations since 2002.
Switzerland collaborates with international organisations in four different ways:
Financial contributions
Switzerland supports the implementation of the mandate of multilateral organisations through core contributions to UN organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and priority multilateral development banks. It also plays an active role in their governing bodies, where key decisions on strategies, policies and evaluations are taken. Switzerland also finances the implementation of specific projects (multi-bi cooperation) initiated by multilateral organisations, sometimes jointly with other donors.
Technical support
Switzerland supports specific priority themes such as crisis management, good governance and gender equality. It also encourages the exchange of experiences between international cooperation actors. This support can take the form of funding or knowledge transfer, but also the seconding of specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit or via the Geneva Technical Hub.
Policy dialogue
As a member of major multilateral organisations, and through its participation in intergovernmental forums, Switzerland has the opportunity to influence the global development agenda, propose innovative solutions and play an important role in building bridges between stakeholders. Switzerland plays a leading role in the full implementation of reforms at national level, which benefits people in low and middle income countries.
Providing qualified personnel
Switzerland provides substantial technical and thematic support to multilateral partner organisations, providing them with access to its highly qualified specialists and promoting opportunities for partnerships with its private sector. Through secondments and various junior professional officer (JPO) programmes, the SDC enables a number of young Swiss professionals to work for the UN and its agencies each year.
