For the SDC, local economic development is not just an economic matter but a cooperative approach which provides an excellent tool for bringing together different interest groups to agree on local cooperation that can help create jobs and income, in addition to improving governance.

SDC focus

Moreover, local economic development can also strengthen governance at national level. In countries like Kosovo or Burkina Faso, the SDC conducts local economic development activities which have been implemented simultaneously in several towns. This has enabled municipalities (or rather territories, because each town has close links with its peri-urban and rural hinterland) to exchange information and experience that are specific to them. This has led to better cooperation among local authorities and thus added weight to the local dimension in dialogue with central government.

Background

Local economic development brings together various stakeholders from civil society, as well as the public and private sectors. Its goal is to promote cooperation so as to develop a given area. Cooperation is a key factor in governance. Local economic development (LED) triggers a political process in which the protagonists have to negotiate the priorities bearing in mind the limited human and financial resources at their disposal.

Forces that drive the economy

Economic considerations drive the private sector. Cooperation on creating public goods, such as improved framework conditions for investment, calls for a private-public collaboration that is built into concrete projects ("We'll build the road, and you'll build the factory. You tell us what's not right about the investment climate, and we'll put it right."). In this way, combined LED efforts create new business prospects. The public sector needs the private sector for local economic development.

In virtually every country, it is the private sector that creates most jobs and generates income, and jobs and income are a priority for the public sector's customers and voters. Poverty reduction and – perhaps more important for a civil servant – re-election of the mayor and his staff depend on the generation of income.

Governance as a process

Civil society, like local associations, should also be part of planning and implementing development projects in which the economic dimension is obviously not the only issue at stake. The State and local government do not cover all the ground. So the three stakeholder groups – the public and private sectors and civil society – negotiate and cooperate on the basis of concrete information derived from evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the local economy, as well as the opportunities and risks involved. This dynamic exchange between partners improves governance at local level.

Current projects

Object 145 – 156 of 971

Increasing access to patented medicines with the pharmaceutical sector

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2027

2 billion people worldwide do not have access to essential medicines. 50 of these medicines, e.g. for cancer or HIV are patented. The Medicines Patent Pool is a proven mechanism that negotiates with patent holders voluntary licenses for markets in low-income countries which are granted to multiple generic manufacturers. The competition drives down prices but ensures an attractive royalty for the patent holder. SDC supports this voluntary approach to make patented medicines available to people in these countries.


Solar Irrigation for Agriculture Resilience (SoLAR)

01.01.2020 - 31.07.2027

To adapt to climate change farmers rely increasingly on irrigation, ultimately depleting groundwater resources and raising energy demand. The project aims to address these challenges by promoting solar irrigation, water efficient agriculture and groundwater governance. The project will harness Swiss expertise on hydrogeology and technical innovations to contribute to climate resilient agriculture and facilitate knowledge sharing in South Asia and at the global level.


Governance and Decentralisation Programme Exit Phase (GDP Exit Phase)

Khoroo organizers participate in “Citizen-centered civil service” training organized by the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar Training Center established in 2017.

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2022

The Exit Phase of the Governance and Decentralisation Programme will consolidate achievements of previous two phases to support decentralisation and democratisation reforms. It will focus on institutionalisation and ensuring sustainability of results to contribute to equitable and sustainable development through decentralized service delivery and enhanced citizen engagement in public affairs, including in the urban areas. Swiss expertise and Swiss decentralisation model will be used.  


CGIAR Contribution 2020 - 2021

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2021

The Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is a global research for development partnership in the fields of agriculture (crops, livestock, aquaculture and forestry). CGIAR holds in trust unique genetic resources for agriculturally significant species of central importance to advancing and sustaining productivity for the world’s smallholder farmers in the 21st century. CGIAR has a singular role in providing international and global public goods through high-quality agricultural research, partnership, and leadership in the areas of poverty and hunger reduction, improvement of human nutrition, enhancement of ecosystem resilience. 


Contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF)

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2022

Health is a precondition, an indicator and a result of sustainable development. The Global Fund (GF) follows the vision of a world free of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It collects and channels a big share of the international funds dedicated to end these epidemics that disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable people. Its support to country programmes has saved 27 million lives since 2002. In the coming years, the challenge is to maintain this progress and step up the fight to ending the epidemics. 


PARIS21 Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century - Contribution 2020-2022

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2022

The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) is a global partnership of national, regional and international statisticians, development professionals and policy makers seeking to improve evidence-based decision making mainly in low-income developing countries. The main accent of PARIS21’s activities is to stimulate the dialogue between data producers and users and act as a knowledge hub in the field of statistical capacity building.


Junior Professional Officer Programme

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2025

The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) programme aims at contributing to a qualified and diverse United Nations workforce by financing Swiss JPOs within Switzerland’s priority UN development organisations and the UN Secretariat. This provides Swiss graduates with an opportunity to start a career in the United Nations while at the same time strengthens the United Nations towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and the UNDS Reform.


Global solutions for migration related challenges

01.01.2020 - 31.03.2023

The challenges and opportunities linked to migration require a coordinated response from the international community that goes beyond individual country measures. For this reason, Switzerland works towards an effective global migration governance that enables cooperation among states and other stakeholders (private sector, civil society). Switzerland also supports evidence-based policy making and the development of global solutions to contemporary migration challenges that benefit migrants and their families, as well as countries of origin and destination.


Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative, 2020

01.01.2020 - 31.03.2021

Through continued support to the Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative (HQAI), Switzerland strives to ensure humanitarian organizations have a measurable tool to track their progress against effectiveness and accountability to affected populations, with their application of the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS). This is done through the verification and certification processes of HQAI wich acts as an independent organization. 


Small Irrigation Programme (SIP)

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2024

Swiss engagement through this project assists farmers in doubling their agricultural income through year-round irrigation and better access to markets. Doubling of agriculture income will contribute to poverty reduction and reduce poor farmer’s need to migrate. In addition, Swiss pioneering work in operationalizing federalism, through this project at local level will address issues related to historic over-centralization and social exclusion and will contribute to peace and stability in the country.


Civil Registry System Reform Project in Tajikistan (CRR)

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2023

SDC assists the Ministry of Justice in its efforts to replace the paper-based civil registry system with a more efficient electronic civil registry system. This new system and the planned outreach activities will help people across the country in obtaining their vital documents faster and in better quality from the civil registry offices; this will help them to protect and claim their rights in relation to schooling, alimonies,  migration, healthcare and even voting. Moreover, the new civil registry system will also help the government to better plan and monitor its services provided to the population including in the education, health and labor sector.


From Education to Employment (E2E)

01.01.2020 - 31.12.2023

The E2E program supports direct labor market measures in 5 locations in Serbia, through Career Guidance and Counselling and an Opportunity Fund for companies and training providers targeting 12'000 young women and men, of whom 20% vulnerable. Based on Work Based Learning (WBL) that will generate a minimum of 625 decent jobs for young people, the program will contribute to the re-design of inclusive and innovative youth employment measures and policies.

 

 

Object 145 – 156 of 971