Development and Cooperation

COVID-19 has an impact on our lives in Switzerland and abroad. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) summarises the most important information regarding travelling and living abroad in its COVID-19 news ticker. The information is constantly being added to.

The consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are particularly severe in developing countries. The FDFA has taken immediate action to mitigate the economic and health effects of the crisis there. It is providing emergency humanitarian aid, supporting international action, and focusing on the management of COVID-19 in ongoing bilateral and global development programs. Furthermore, Switzerland also provides assistance in the area of peace policy.

On World Refugee Day, we are in Geneva where a new hub has taken up residence at the UNHCR. Launched by Switzerland and the UN refugee agency, the Geneva Technical Hub is a centre of expertise dedicated to the greening of humanitarian action.

The 2020 annual report on Swiss international cooperation has now been published. In 2020, activities focused on efforts to combat COVID-19. Switzerland responded swiftly to the crisis to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its social, economic and humanitarian consequences. Numerous programmes were adapted and additional funds were allocated. Through its international cooperation strategy, Switzerland makes a significant contribution to crisis management and sustainable development.

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), supports a public services digital transformation project in Ukraine. Today, Patricia Danzi, the SDC Director General, and Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, sign a memorandum of understanding in Kyiv to extend the E-Governance for Accountability and Participation Program (EGAP). This project forms part of Switzerland's International Cooperation Strategy and Digital Foreign Policy Strategy.

World Africa Day is celebrated every 25 May as the anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, the forerunner of the African Union. On this occasion, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is sending a message of friendship to the people and governments of Africa and highlighting the importance of relations with this continent. This year, Switzerland has adopted new strategies focused on this region of the world. They aim to develop mutually beneficial relationships.