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 181 – 192 of 971

Urban Governance for Health and Wellbeing

01.12.2019 - 30.11.2028

Rapid and unplanned urbanization results in poor health. The COVID-19 crisis has put city governments and urban communities at the frontline of the response. Enhancing urban governance for health and building resilient cities contribute to addressing these challenges. Switzerland, with its strong focus on civic engagement and its experience in participative urban development, plays a key role in catalysing action to create healthier urban environments in low- and middle-income countries.


Addressing Determinants of Health for Advancing Equity

01.12.2019 - 30.11.2024

Despite overall health gains, the distribution of health is vastly unequal. Investment in determinants of health such as education or water is considered as an effective means of preventing disease and contributing to health equity. Building on Swiss expertise in addressing factors such as health literacy, the program will elaborate normative guidance, produce evidence, advocate for action, and build capacity to advance health equity and leave no one behind in selected low- and middle-income countries.


Programme d’Appui à la Qualité de l’Education (PAQUE)

15.11.2019 - 31.10.2023

L’éducation au Bénin souffre d’un manque de qualité : enseignants en nombre insuffisant et pas bien formés, matériel scolaire et encadrement pédagogique insuffisants. La Suisse s’est fortement engagée pour la formulation du nouveau Plan sectoriel de l’éducation 2018-2030. Forte de son expertise en matière d’éducation et sur la base des résultats clés obtenus à travers les autres programmes du portefeuille éducation, sa contribution au PAQUE vise à améliorer la qualité de l’éducation au. Bénin


Dynamic electronic decision trees for managing childhood illness (DYNAMIC)

15.11.2019 - 31.12.2022

Every year, more than five million children die before the age of five due to preventable or treatable causes, most of them in developing countries. New technologies combined with rapid tests can improve diagnosis and management of sick children and reduce health costs. This collaborative research project makes use of Switzerland’s knowledge in digital technologies to improve the health of children and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in low resource settings.


Research and Technology for sustainable development in the global South (SDC contribution to ETH4D of ETH Zurich and Tech4Dev of EPFL)

15.11.2019 - 31.12.2023

Many countries struggling with extreme poverty have expending economies, creating new opportunities for innovative approaches to address societal and environmental challenges. SDC supports the new initiatives of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH4D, ETH Zurich and Tech4Impact, EPFL), which encourage Swiss researchers to work together with research and implementing partners from the global South in developing research-based solutions to global challenges.


Improving Access to Essential Medicines and Basic Technologies for Non-communicable Diseases

01.11.2019 - 31.12.2031

Access to medicines and technologies for non-communicable diseases is poor in low and middle-income countries. Building on the Swiss comparative advantage (broader access engagement as a country with a big pharma sector), the program addresses all components of the comprehensive framework for access to drugs, ranging from research and innovation to dispensing and use. It will also set up a dedicated global collaborative network for advocacy, information and innovation.


Clean Air Project in India (CAP India)

01.11.2019 - 30.06.2027

India is one of the most severely affected countries by air pollution in the world. This project will contribute to India’s new National Clean Air Programme, with the aim to improve air quality with co-benefits on public health, environment and climate change. Capacity building and technical assistance through Swiss expertise will support data measurement and analysis, city level clean air action plans and awareness raising campaigns to take precautionary measures and mitigate air pollution.


Engaged People - Strong municipalities

01.11.2019 - 31.12.2030

Molodova has the most fragmented sytem of local governments in the South-East Europe. People's dissatisfaction with quality of services is high and participatory decision-making is not common. Local governance reforms launched by the Government are being pursued in a centralized manner. Switzerland will support moldova through a two-pronged approach supporting citizens (in enhancing participation and social accountability) and institutions (in improving public service provision), particularly in rural areas.  


“Mental Health for Universal Health Coverage” (MH4UHC)

01.11.2019 - 31.10.2024

In low resource settings, less than 20% of people with mental disorders have access to mental health services. Building on best practices and experience from Swiss supported programs at country level, the Special Initiative for Mental Health aims to increase access to care for people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Priority areas are advocacy for investments in mental health, evidence-based policy formulation, and integration of mental health services at primary healthcare level.


Grassroots women building resilience and peace in Central America.

01.10.2019 - 31.12.2022

The project enables two thousand grassroots women and their families to implement effective climate adaptation practices and strengthen their voice and leadership to influence related public plans and policies. The exchange of good local practices will be fostered among women in the region, thus increasing their resilience to climate change and variability.


Advancing Sustainable Agriculture in Ukraine

01.10.2019 - 31.12.2022

Agricultural production in Ukraine is unsustainable. SDC and Nestlé join efforts to improve agricultural production practices in two selected value chains which will contribute to an improved farm performance and life of farmers. The project will pilot a business model for farm sustainability with 10 farmers and 5 pre-processing lead suppliers. Good business cases showing sustainable farm performance and supply to pre-processors will be disseminated for potential replication.

 


UN-Gender Rwanda

01.10.2019 - 30.09.2023

In line with SDC’s engagement on fighting sexual and gender-based violence and women’s empowerment in the Great Lakes region, the UN-Gender Program will contribute to the efforts of the Government of Rwanda and the UN Agencies in Rwanda to transform commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment into concrete actions, in particular through awareness raising and capacity building for women and strengthening service providers.

Object 181 – 192 of 971