Development and Cooperation

The global food crisis is one of the main challenges the world faces today. As is often the case, it is the most vulnerable people who are affected first and suffer disproportionately from its impact. In response, SDC acts in a collaborative and crosscutting manner to mitigate it.

Millions of people are affected by the consequences of the drought in East Africa. Parched soils and dying livestock are destroying livelihoods and leading to a food crisis on a vast scale – the situation is dire. The SDC is also active in the region, supporting development projects and humanitarian relief efforts to mitigate the crisis.

828 million – this is the staggering number of people currently suffering from hunger worldwide. That's 10% of the world's population. Climate change, conflicts, COVID-19, and economic crises: the ongoing global food crisis has multiple causes and triggers, all of which are placing enormous stress on communities. The food crises that result from these triggers can also reduce people's lives to a struggle for survival.

One year after the Taliban's abrupt return to power, living conditions for many people – particularly women and girls – have deteriorated under the new regime. Although the Swiss cooperation office in Kabul was forced to close its doors due to security reasons, the SDC is still active in Afghanistan and can rely on its existing networks there, says Walburga Roos.

Switzerland has a long-standing commitment to stability in the Western Balkans and, through its international cooperation work, supports a wide range of projects covering vocational education and training, the promotion of dialogue, dealing with the past and waste management. FDFA State Secretary Livia Leu is travelling to Kosovo and Serbia at the end of June 2022 at a time when the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Western Balkans is still unclear.

Switzerland and Ukraine intend to use the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano on 4 and 5 July as a springboard for a broad-based political and diplomatic process that sets out a path to reconstruction for Ukraine. Around 40 states and 20 international organisations have been invited to the conference.