
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
Strengthening democratic local governance
01.01.2023
- 30.12.2026
The project aims at supporting the democratic transition and the peace efforts in Myanmar. Using a decentralized budget support approach to all townships of one state in the Southeast of the country, it will strengthen township’s participatory planning and budgeting capacity. The project will also deepen the community’s capacity to demand public services. Additionally it will support national level policy discussions based on this experience.
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.
Contribution to non-state local governance actors
15.11.2022
- 31.03.2023
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.
Potable Water Management Programme (PWMP) in Upper Egypt Phase 2
01.05.2022
- 31.12.2025
Egypt has critical needs in better managing water resources and reducing water losses as well as consumption, especially in Upper Egypt (climate change impact, lack of infrastructure, high poverty level). Switzerland provides innovative solutions for improved potable water management and service provision to the vulnerable population. The mixed approach based on strengthening capacities of the water company, improving the infrastructure for potable water provision and on engaging the communities will serve as model for nationwide replication.
PACTA - Participatory Action Against Corruption: Towards Transparency and Accountability
01.01.2022
- 31.12.2026
In Bangladesh, Switzerland was instrumental in engaging likeminded development partners to support prominent local actors to curb corruption and establish transparent and accountable governance systems. This project, co-funded by Switzerland with the UK and Sweden, will continue the work on reducing corruption by engaging citizens, adding the use of an innovative digital tool for community monitoring. Based on the evidence collected on corruption incidences, the project will reinforce policy advocacy and engagement at different levels.
Contribution to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund of the Africa Disaster Risk Financing Programme ADRiFi
01.12.2021
- 30.11.2025
Through a contribution to the ADRiFi programme of the African Development Bank, Switzerland intends to facilitate access to subsidies for the payment of natural disaster insurances for at least an additional 15 African countries. Payouts (up to 5 mio USD per event) from the insurance, managed by the African Risk Capacity Group, will allow governments respond timely and effectively to the needs of their population in case of disaster on the basis of the prepared effective contingency plans.
Inclusive Urbanisation
08.11.2021
- 30.06.2024
The program contributes to inclusive urbanization in Central America in partnership with UN-Habitat with the aim to improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations in urban settlements. Solid data and evidence on informal settlements and specialised advisory will contribute to improve urban policies. Capacity building, participatory planning approaches and increased involvement of the private sector will foster comprehensive and feasible solutions for informal settlements.
Locally-led Governance: the road to legitimate and effective delivery of services
01.11.2021
- 31.10.2023
The Somali population is facing considerable development and state building challenges, with Government institutions still very weak and fragile, particularly at the local level. With the UN Joint Programme for Local Governance and Decentralised Service Delivery (JPLG) as well as local peacebuilding initiatives, SDC contributes to enhanced state legitimacy, more equitable access to public service and well-being for all citizens, leading to more stability in the Horn of Africa.
Sustainable and Inclusive Balanced Regional Development
01.10.2021
- 30.09.2025
The level of development among the 8 regions in North Macedonia is highly unequal. This misbalance directly affects the wellbeing of citizens living in less developed areas. SDC supports North Macedonia by working on the country system, to improve the national legal framework for planning, monitoring and evaluation of balanced regional development (BRD) ensuring greater allocation of funds for BRD, hence improving the living conditions for all citizens, especially in the underdeveloped regions.
SRBM - Strengthening Representative Bodies in Mongolia

01.08.2021
- 31.12.2023
On request of the authorities, the project ensures the implementation and oversight over new local governance laws to ensure public service delivery and sustainable rangeland management. Based on SDC supported achievements on democratic governance in Mongolia, increased technical cooperation between the Swiss and the Mongolian Parliamentary Services is at the core of the project. Gender equality and pro-poor approaches are mainstreamed.
Long-term support to UNRWA’s reform
01.07.2021
- 30.06.2023
Switzerland contributes to enable UNRWA to pursue key reform areas of its Medium-Term Strategy 2016-2022, mainly by supporting (i) management initiatives and set of actions to ensure that governance, accountability, management and transparency meet international standards, and (ii) the systematic integration and attention to the needs of vulnerable groups, in particular children, persons with disabilities and women survivors of violence.
PRODEL - Program for strengthening municipal capacities for local development
01.04.2021
- 30.06.2024
PRODEL III contributes to the decentralization reform through introducing its municipal autonomy approach into new laws and policies, through training of “multipliers” and creation of advisory services to extend its tool of Municipal Development Strategy to more municipalities. The EDM strengthens municipal autonomy and efficient use of local resources for production infrastructure and services, while promoting participation and inclusion.