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 241 – 252 of 971

Enhance employability of migrants in Urban Cairo

01.07.2019 - 30.06.2023

Food-processing and the food service sector is ranked as Egypt’s second largest manufacturing industry This project supports the employability of vulnerable Egyptians and migrants, especially women, in the food sector.


Improving transparency and reducing corruption through e-governance in Ukraine

EGAP

01.07.2019 - 30.06.2023

The people of Ukraine are regularly confronted with the problems of corruption and difficulties in accessing information. With the 'E-Governance for Accountability and Participation' (EGAP) programme, the SDC is working to improve this situation and help strengthen citizens' trust in Ukraine's public administration.


LëvizAlbania

01.07.2019 - 30.06.2023

Albania is at a critical juncture in its democratisation process and low level of civic engagement in the society does not aid. Challenging the status quo, LëvizAlbania empowers actors in the civic space (citizens, interest groups, CSOs, media etc.) to be drivers of change and pressure the government to take action benefiting the Albanian citizens. It complements SDCs extensive past and present work of institutional transformations of local level government.


Global Malaria Technical & Training Support Package (GlobMal)

01.07.2019 - 30.06.2023

The worldwide reduction in malaria-related death in the last two decades is a major global public health success. Despite the 6 million lives saved from malaria, still more than 400’000 people die every year. The project aims to shape effective global and national malaria control and elimination strategies, by providing the necessary scientific evidence and strengthening capacities of malaria-affected countries. Swiss research and private sector contribute to the design and implementation of these global and national malaria strategies.


SMArt – Sustainable Mountain Art

01.07.2019 - 30.06.2023

SDC’s Global Programmes focus on key challenges such as climate change and environment, water, migration, health, agriculture and food security. Changes in behaviour and consumption require empathy. Art is a complementary pathway helping to create awareness, stimulate necessary debate and generate action. By engaging artists with society at large, with a particular focus on mountains as entry point and on youth as important actor group, the implementation of Agenda 2030 can be enhanced.


Ifakara Health Institute: Scaling up of research results and innovations to maximize public health impact

15.06.2019 - 31.12.2024

Investment in health research and innovation in Tanzania is a national policy priority but receives irregular public support. This contribution aims to strengthen the Ifakara Health Institute, a successful research institution with Swiss roots, to improve its research impact at policy and community levels. The intervention will also bring together researchers and end-users in an innovation hub to identify livelihood challenges of youths and innovative approaches to address these. Private sector partnerships with Swiss innovators will be primary clients of the innovation hub.


Choosing coffee over poppy - a public-private partnership (Myanmar)

01.06.2019 - 31.05.2023

In Southern Shan State infrastructure, access to basic services and income opportunities are scarce. Poverty and malnutrition are omnipresent and out-migration is high. Building on a private-public partnership with Malongo, a French coffee company and Walter Matter SA, a Swiss logistics firm, SDC supports the Green Gold coffee cooperative and its 900 members to become a sustainable and business-oriented organisation.


Somalia, UNFPA Support to Health, gender and Data.

01.06.2019 - 31.12.2020

The maternal mortality rates in Somalia are among the highest in the world, which puts women at a high risk in and around child birth. Support to this programme will increase access to sexual and reproductive rights and health services. The programme will also contribute to addressing gender inequality, as well as production of key population data to be used for evidence based programming in Somalia. This will improve women’s well-being, enhance family planning and, as a consequence, increase stability in the region, which is in the Swiss interest.


Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED)

01.06.2019 - 31.12.2023

DCED as the independent and respected point of reference for standards, knowledge and data on the role of the private sector in development, contributes to improving donor’s programs in this domain. It also advocates globally the importance of the topic in the development sector. SDC supports the DCED in its various activities since the early 80ies and co-chairs the working group on Market System Development and Private Sector Engagement


Support to Dealing with the past roadmap implementation in Nepal

01.06.2019 - 31.03.2025


The program aims to support a new inclusive and equitable mechanism of dealing with the past with the purpose to address the root causes of the conflict which remains an uncompleted process in Nepal. The implementation of a comprehensive national roadmap will guaranty to be victim-centred and a government-driven process. This program provides a solid basis for strengthening an inclusive federal state


Climate Ledger Initiative (CLI)

01.06.2019 - 31.05.2022

The Climate Ledger Initiative (CLI) addresses one of the world’s most pressing problems, climate change, with one of the potentially most promising technological innovations – blockchain. Through its platform function CLI brings together a variety of stakeholders from private and public sector to test pilot applications of the still new distributed ledger technology for effective climate action and development achievements. With its contribution to CLI SDC fosters innovation, development gains through applied technology development in developing countries and contributes to the global norm setting in this rapidly evolving field. 


CMR : DRC Réponse protection Adamaoua

16.05.2019 - 30.04.2020

Avec cette contribution au projet de DRC, la DDC poursuit son engagement à la protection des populations affectées dans la région de l'Adamaoua à l'est du Cameroun (frontière RCA), par le renforcement de l'environnement protecteur et l'amélioration des moyens d'existence des communautées et des individus les plus vulnérables ; tout en réduisant l'exposition aux risques de protection des enfants en améliorant leur accès à l'éducation. 

Object 241 – 252 of 971