Switzerland works to establish peaceful, just and inclusive societies as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is involved in the efforts of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS). Together with other development cooperation actors, it endeavours to make sure its actions are guided by an in-depth analysis of the context and to employ methods that take account of the dynamics of conflict in order to build community resilience, reduce political and social conflict and support pathways out of fragility.
The SDC adopted its own peacebuilding and statebuilding goals in 2015. These are based on the model developed thanks to the OECD’s efforts by the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS).
The goals underline the importance of supporting development partners in their pathways out of fragility. To achieve this, Switzerland makes fragility considerations an integral part of all its policies and its portfolio of operations. In particular, it strives to shape and strengthen those aspects that are linked to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 and the OECD Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSGs).
Switzerland seeks to understand fragility in all its complexity and dimensions. It is developing operational and quality assurance standards that can be applied to the new strategies. When launching its new programmes in the regions concerned, the expertise of its staff in conflict-sensitive programme management (CSPM) and human-rights based approaches (HRBAs) allows it to draw on a wide range of appropriate instruments that are both context-specific and conflict-sensitive.
Together with its partners, it endeavours to deliver smarter aid in fragile contexts and to step up its efforts on prevention, consolidation and sustaining peace, while supporting the efforts and capacities of its development partners to deliver inclusive solutions to their own states of fragility.
Action in fragile states: sustainable support for governments and populations
Preventing and resolving crises
The SDC has set itself the goal of making a significant contribution to addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening resilience to crises, improving respect for human rights and generally bringing about the peaceful resolution of social and political conflicts in the countries in which it operates.
The SDC’s work in fragile and conflicted-affected countries is guided by the 10 OECD principles, which are intended to help national reformers to build effective, legitimate and robust state institutions. Specifically, they state the following:
- Take context as the starting point
- Ensure all activities do no harm
- Focus on statebuilding as the central objective
- Prioritise prevention
- Recognise the links between political, security and development objectives
- Promote non-discrimination as a basis for inclusive and stable societies
- Align with local priorities in different ways in different contexts
- Agree on practical coordination mechanisms between international actors
- Act fast… but stay engaged long enough to give success a chance
- Avoid pockets of exclusion
Long-term engagement combined with a flexible approach
Increasing Switzerland’s involvement in fragile and conflict-affected states and regions calls for long-term engagement combined with a flexible approach. Building and stabilising state structures takes time, as does winning citizens’ trust. According to the World Bank, it takes at least 15 to 30 years for countries emerging from a lengthy period of conflict to establish a functioning government.
The SDC constantly adapts its development cooperation approach and instruments used to the local context and evolving situation. Its actions take the form of humanitarian aid, development cooperation, support for the activities of an international organisation or a combination of these instruments.
As a clear analysis of the situation is crucial to the success of development cooperation, the SDC works together with other members of the Federal Administration, civil society and multilateral organisations.
A mix of experience and long-term vision
In its work, the SDC can draw on several decades of experience, which it combines with forward planning. Long-term statebuilding and peacebuilding efforts can help to overcome fragility and violence. This was the case in Nepal, where Switzerland did not abandon any of its projects during the armed conflict of 1996–2006, but instead constantly adapted them, thus enabling development programmes in the areas of education, bridge and road construction, and forestry to continue throughout this period. The same goes for countries such as Haiti, Myanmar and Burundi, which have also experienced periods of tension in recent years.
Long-term engagement in complex and dynamic contexts – whether in relation to development cooperation, emergency aid or transition assistance – requires both better analysis of the situation in question and greater acceptance on the part of the various actors. Regular contact with the target groups, focusing on the needs of the poor and involving people from a wide range of social and ethnic backgrounds all help to make long-term support possible and to ensure its success.
Conflict- and risk-sensitive programming for pathways to change
The term conflict-sensitive programme management (CSPM) refers to a range of development cooperation methods used in fragile and conflict-affected countries and regions. Conflict sensitivity means being aware of the two-way interaction between the conflict and the action taken, in order to avoid any negative impacts (that could exacerbate the conflict) and instead maximise the positive impacts that serve peacebuilding goals. These methods call for a deeper analysis of the risks associated with contexts, programmes and institutions. Adopting this approach makes Switzerland’s interventions better equipped to support development pathways that offer the best prospects for the local population and to react to significant changes in the situation.
The main elements of this approach are:
- Context analysis: The dynamics of a conflict are analysed and a strategy developed to help the country concerned resolve the conflict. At the same time, the interaction between a programme and its context must be understood and regularly monitored.
- Scenarios: Analysing conflict dynamics enables possible future scenarios that may contribute to changing those dynamics to be identified; in this way, the overriding objectives of Swiss development cooperation can be achieved by adapting programmes accordingly. The goal is frequently to 'stay engaged', i.e. continue working even when the situation worsens.
- Management: Key management tasks include risk and security management, communication and putting together teams that include representatives of the various ethnic or social groups from the region concerned.
- Do no harm: As well as early detection of conflicts and providing support to affected countries, CSPM also requires conflict-sensitivity amongst SDC staff to ensure they do not inadvertently support factors that could aggravate an existing conflict. Above all, this means raising awareness of the 'do no harm' approach.
From fragility to peace: accompanying transition processes
The adoption in 2016 of SDG 16, the 2030 Agenda goal for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies with strong institutions, marked a turning point. Since then, the development community has directly included peace factors in its interventions.
This realisation also points to the success of the efforts made by Switzerland and the other donors within the OECD to enact the New Deal for engagement in fragile states (commonly referred to simply as the ‘New Deal’), which they had agreed in Busan in 2011. The main aims of this initiative are to support fragile states as they transition towards peace and to respond to the specific needs of their situation, specifically by adopting five peacebuilding and statebuilding goals (PSGs):
- Legitimate and inclusive politics: Foster inclusive political settlements and conflict resolution
- Security: Establish and strengthen people’s security
- Justice: Address injustices and increase people’s access to justice
- Economic foundations: Generate employment and improve livelihoods
- Revenues and services: Manage revenue and build capacity for accountable and fair service delivery
Switzerland played an active role in the adoption of the New Deal and continues to use the PSGs as a foundation to guide its work in fragile situations.
The SDC’s engagement in fragile and conflict-affected contexts
Around half of the countries and regions in which Switzerland is actively involved qualify as fragile, i.e. they suffer from the effects of internal or external conflict, frequent natural disasters, weak or unstable state institutions and extreme poverty, and their populations are subject to violence and political arbitrariness.
The precarious state of the rule of law, corruption, impunity, glaring socio-economic inequalities, frequent natural disasters, and ethnic and religious conflicts are all factors that heighten insecurity in Afghanistan, placing significant burdens on the local population. The increase in religious radicalism further aggravates the situation. The thematic priorities of Switzerland’s engagement in the region include efforts to combat poverty in the long term, promote good governance and respect for human rights, and improve the living conditions of disadvantaged population groups.
Crime and insecurity are the main problems facing Central America. The situation is especially serious in Honduras, which has record-high homicide rates. The high level of violence undermines development – poverty is persistent and the country’s economic growth weak. The SDC is committed to combating this violence by improving the system of state security as well as vocational training opportunities available to at-risk youths.
After several decades of civil war, Somalia remains in a state of emergency and continuing insecurity. Public services to support and protect the population are virtually non-existent. In this context, natural disasters such as drought produce immediate widespread damage. Switzerland is now adopting an integrated approach to its continuing humanitarian engagement and efforts to build peace and promote democratic governance.
Since 2009, Switzerland’s strategy of peacebuilding and promoting good governance and human rights has helped to stabilise this still-fragile region after the ravages caused by the crises and conflicts of the 1990s. The sub-region’s relative stability has a significant impact on the international community’s activities. Switzerland closely monitors the constant shifts in the political and institutional balance, adapting its approach and modifying its programmes accordingly, while at the same time encouraging multi-party participation in the peace process.
Haiti’s already precarious situation was worsened considerably by the earthquake of 2010. State infrastructures such as hospitals, roads and schools are sorely lacking. Switzerland’s efforts focus on access to food and drinking water as well as promoting employment opportunities. Another concern is reconstruction and making buildings earthquake-proof. With this in mind, the SDC set up a Competence Centre for Reconstruction in 2010 through which experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit and the private sector implement projects and provide support to Swiss aid agencies, multilateral partner organisations and the Haitian state authorities.
Laos ranks as one of the poorest countries on the Asian continent. Development cooperation focuses on rural development and improving governance and citizen participation. Equitable access to land is one of the measures supported by Switzerland, making it possible not only to improve food security and reduce conflict but also to increase agricultural yields and the income of farming families. Switzerland has also launched new development programmes in the region in order to help countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia cope with the crises they have faced in recent years.
After many years of civil war, the Republic of Nepal was proclaimed in 2008. The political situation nonetheless remains fragile, with the drawing up of a new constitution, the lack of legal certainty, widespread impunity, the integration of Maoist combatants and possession of confiscated land being just some of the problems Nepal has to face. With almost 60 years of engagement in the country, Switzerland has the advantage of fully understanding the political situation, making it easier for it to both constantly adapt and make a lasting contribution to peace and development. Switzerland is especially keen to support the implementation of the new constitution and the process of institutional decentralisation this entails.
The weakness of the state, a lack of infrastructure (education, water) and the impact of climate change and desertification mean that Chad has one of the lowest Human Development Index scores in the world. The three focal points of the SDC’s engagement in the country are food security, education and healthcare.
Links
Documents
Stratégie de la DDC en matière de consolidation de la paix et de renforcement de l’État pour son engagement dans les situations de conflit et de fragilité
The Pathfinders: The Roadmap for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies
Current projects
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