Strategy

Regional Cooperation Strategy 2013-2016 Horn of Africa

Switzerland’s Regional Cooperation Strategy 2013–2016 for the Horn of Africa is a development framework that brings together the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Human Security Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Secretariat for Migration. The total budget is 140.05 million Swiss francs (94 % from SDC). The strategy covers Somalia, Southern Ethiopia and North/Northeastern Kenya. In case of humanitarian emergency and provided conditions of engagement are met, the strategy also includes Eritrea and Djibouti.  Switzerland’s regional strategy focuses on four sectors: food security, governance, health and migration/protection.

Why: hypothesis of change for the region

Switzerland’s interests and overall hypothesis of change is that people in the region gradually gain confidence in, and benefit from, their State institutions and services. Despite temporary setbacks they are increasingly able to share and manage resources peacefully and take advantage of economic opportunities. Switzerland promotes the transformation of conflicts and regional connectivity by addressing the long-term drivers of conflict and poverty which lie at the core of the fragility in the Horn of Africa, particularly the Somali conflict dynamics and conflicts concerning power and resource sharing.