In line with Switzerland's International Cooperation Strategy for the 2021–24 period, the Southern Africa programme now prioritises two countries: Zimbabwe and Zambia. The programme focuses on achieving food security, providing access to high-quality services, especially healthcare, and strengthening civil society and public institutions.
Zimbabwe and Zambia

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Mission / Delegation / Permanent Representation |
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Consulate general |
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Honorary representation |
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Cooperation office |
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Embassy with Cooperation Office |
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Embassy with Regional consular center |
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Swiss Business Hub |
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Swissnex |
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Zambia and Zimbabwe are landlocked neighbours in Southern Africa. Their prospects for development and ability to compete globally depend heavily on regional integration and the progress of neighbouring states. Both countries are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Zambia and Zimbabwe have a wealth of natural resources and a relatively well-educated young population. However, growing inequality, poverty and climate change are undermining stability.
The Cooperation Programme 2023–26 is concerned with fighting inequality, alleviating poverty, building communities' resilience, increasing food security and improving access to services, especially healthcare. The programme also aims to increase political participation and establish accountable and resilient public institutions.
Swiss Bilateral ODA |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 * |
---|---|---|---|
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) |
|
|
|
Bilateral development cooperation |
30.78 |
28.51 |
27.00 |
Humanitarian aid |
2.32 |
0.08 |
- |
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) |
|
|
|
Economic Cooperation and Development |
- |
- |
- |
Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) |
|
|
|
Conflict transformation and human rights |
0.97 |
0.83 |
0.33 |
Total SDC/SECO/PHRD |
34.07 |
29.42 |
27.33 |
Other Federal Offices |
|
|
|
Other FDFA Divisions (ASAF, AIO, aso) |
0.02 |
0.03 |
.. |
Network of FDFA representations abroad |
3.04 |
- |
.. |
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) |
- |
- |
.. |
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) |
0.05 |
0.05 |
.. |
MeteoSwiss |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) |
- |
- |
.. |
Federal Statistical Office (FSO) |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) |
- |
- |
- |
State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) |
- |
- |
- |
Total other Federal Offices |
3.11 |
0.08 |
- |
Cantons and municipalities |
1.19 |
.. |
.. |
Total |
38.37 |
29.50 |
27.33 |
Data status at 02.04.2024
* planned; total based on available data
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Food security and income
Switzerland aims, in particular, to improve the prospects of women and young people in both rural and urban areas to enable them to earn an income and ensure their food security. In order to achieve this, action has been taken along the value chain comprising smallholder farmers and other stakeholders.
Key initiatives include facilitating access to new financial and insurance services and building marketable skills, which also promote economic growth and provide security against climate events, for example.
Other priorities include developing, promoting and mainstreaming climate-resilient, nutrient-rich crops and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Connections are also being established between rural and urban areas with a view to facilitating market access.
High-quality services and shock-responsive systems
High-quality services and shock-responsive systems contribute to better health and greater resilience, especially among disadvantaged groups.
Protecting and advancing the right to sexual and reproductive health is an important action area. Switzerland's work to date has reduced the incidence of HIV in both countries, which has resulted in a more comprehensive approach to healthcare.
Key actions include conducting policy dialogue with a view to delivering integrated health services to a higher standard of quality and increasing national spending on social and disaster protection mechanisms.
Switzerland is trying to build and enhance shock-responsive systems with a view to strengthening communities' resilience to disasters.
Civil society and state institutions
Human rights and democratic governance are crucial to long-term development and peace. Conflict and violence are more likely to erupt in countries where state institutions are ineffective, corruption is widespread and the rule of law weak.
Switzerland intends to help strengthen democratic governance and human rights in Zimbabwe, and subsequently in Zambia, by supporting elected national and local governments and independent oversight bodies, in delivering on and being accountable in their remits and respecting human rights.
People's fundamental rights are crucial to resolving conflicts, defusing tensions, promoting economic growth and protecting human dignity. To help communities shape their own future, Switzerland actively promotes the participation of women and young people, in particular, in decision-making processes, including decisions on business and the economy.
Cross-cutting themes
Climate change, gender equality and governance
Switzerland's projects address climate change, which is considered to be a threat multiplier. They promote climate-resilient solutions and systems to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on communities.
Switzerland also works to achieve gender equality by encouraging women to participate in decision-making and opinion-forming processes and improving conditions for women living in poverty.
Switzerland promotes participation in decision-making for all segments of society and advocates for responsible and accountable governments and bodies.
Other issues
Culture
Art and culture contribute to freedom of expression, peacebuilding and sustainable development. One per cent of the Cooperation Programme budget is used to promote culture, engage with young people and raise awareness of crucial issues among communities and decision-makers.
Approach and partners
An important new component of the Cooperation Programme is closer cooperation with central and local governments in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Switzerland is also cooperating with UN organisations, NGOs and academia on issues such as humanitarian aid, strengthening democracy and sensitive health matters. Engagement with the private sector is also key to achieving innovation and development results.
Links
Documents
Current projects
Object 1 8 of 8
- 1
Scaling Up Youth Employment in Agriculture Initiative
01.05.2024
- 30.04.2028
In Zambia and Zimbabwe, due to a mismatch between the skills they have and those in demand, youth cannot access or create economic opportunities and overlook those available. The project builds skills and matches youth with firms, markets and finance to create more and better (self)-employment in agri-food, renewable energy and emerging sectors, contributing to Swiss priorities on human and economic development and climate change. This is a contribution implemented by SNV.
Seed and Knowledge Initiative
01.03.2023
- 28.02.2027
This initiative will address food insecurity and environmental degradation by promoting crop diversification and environment-friendly approaches. It is implemented by a partnership of 15 community-based organizations and their regional partners. The emphasis of the final phase of Swiss funding is on advocacy and movement building, while expanding the number of smallholder farmers, including women and youth, who practice and spread agro-ecology and farmer-led seed systems.
Multi-Methods Data Collection Mandate to Monitor the Swiss Cooperation Programme Zimbabwe Zambia 2023-2026
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2026
The purpose of this mandate is to support data collection for the monitoring and evaluation of Swiss supported projects in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The annual data collection and analysis will capture the perceptions of SDC project target groups around supported interventions in health service delivery, social protection, youth employment, agriculture, and good governance. This will help to see the trend or change of the different indicators of the Cooperation Programme.
BUILD Fund - Bamboo-UNCDF Initiative for the Least Developed Fund
01.10.2022
- 30.11.2027
By supporting the BUILD Fund, Switzerland seeks to increase access to financing by SDG oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to create jobs, improve livelihoods for vulnerable and underserved groups and sustainably manage natural resources. By de-risking investment, this contribution will catalyse funding from the public and private sectors in agribusiness, financial inclusion, green economy and infrastructure initiatives in developing countries, in particular Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Energy and Environment Partnership Africa Trust Fund
15.11.2021
- 30.11.2025
With financing to the Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund Africa, Switzerland will help provide early stage grants and catalytic financing to innovative clean energy projects, technologies and business models implemented by private actors in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Switzerland’s contribution increases access to clean energy by vulnerable and underserved groups and consolidates its engagement in climate change mitigation.
African Risk Capacity Programmes in Zambia and Zimbabwe
01.11.2021
- 31.10.2026
This programme will contribute towards strengthening national systems for disaster preparedness through support to drought insurance premiums and capacity building. Switzerland is thus consolidating its engagement in climate change mitigation and disasters risk reduction with the aim to sustainably minimize risk to loss of lives and assets for vulnerable men and women. The Africa Risk Capacity, a specialized agency of the Africa Union, will implement this programme.
O3+ Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future
01.10.2020
- 14.09.2025
This project uses targeted interventions in post-secondary educational institutions in Zambia and Zimbabwe to improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among 18-24 year-olds. Working with UNESCO and Ministries of Higher and Tertiary Education, the project brings Switzerland’s lengthy experience in the HIV/SRHR field to bear by targeting an often neglected cohort of young people with tailored interventions to reduce HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, and gender-based violence.
MASAP - Markets and Seeds Access Project
01.08.2020
- 30.11.2025
This initiative promotes the utilization of quality seeds of drought tolerant small grains and legumes through support to farmers’ organisations and enterprises, private sector engagement and evidence-based advocacy. 94’000 smallholders will benefit from increased market participation, higher incomes, and consumption of nutritious diets. It is implemented by NIRAS with the Community Technology Development Organisation and the Swiss-based Research Institute of Organic Agriculture.
Object 1 8 of 8
- 1