On 14 October 2020 the Federal Council adopted a specific strategy for the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) for the 2021–24 period. It identifies five thematic priorities: peace, security and human rights; migration and protection of people in need; sustainable development; economic affairs, finance, science; and digitalisation and new technologies.
These priorities are weighted differently across the various regions and countries. In North Africa, Switzerland's activities focus on good governance, sustainable economic development and cooperation in the area of migration. Switzerland supports reforms aimed at improving economic prospects and increasing civic participation.
MENA Strategy
Switzerland's priorities in Libya
The MENA Strategy sets three priorities for Switzerland's commitment in Libya:
1. Peace, security and human rights
Switzerland acts as host state for the UN's political processes, playing an active role in the Berlin process as a member of the working group to promote respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, which it co-chairs.
Switzerland supports projects aimed at promoting dialogue and conflict transformation at local and national level. It supports the UN process and the international community's intervention with a conflict-sensitive approach, including in the area of migration. It also supports projects to improve conditions in prisons and strengthen prisoners' rights. In addition, it is involved in documenting violations of the human rights of migrants. It also supports projects aimed at strengthening the capacity and resilience of human rights defenders.
2. Migration and protection of people in need
Switzerland helps people in need and participates in humanitarian political dialogue, playing a key coordinating role among international humanitarian aid actors.
Switzerland also contributes to the protection of vulnerable migrants, internally displaced persons and host communities. Swiss funding commitments between 2011 and 2016 for international cooperation with Libya amounted to CHF 21 million, while over CHF 16 million has been budgeted for the 2017–20 period.
Development cooperation and humanitarian aid
3. Sustainable development
Switzerland organises study tours to Switzerland for Libyan delegations on topics such as fiscal federalism, sustainable agriculture and water management, in order to promote the transfer of knowledge and to boost contacts between all parties involved.