Economic and fiscal development - At the service of governance

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 649 – 660 of 971


KENYA - Strengthening Livestock Sector in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) Counties

01.05.2017 - 31.08.2021

Around 60% of the population of Northern/Eastern Kenya counties are poor. They depend on livestock production in an environment of recurrent droughts and resource-based conflicts. This program will support local entities to better support pastoralist communities in livestock production and to advocate for their consideration in national strategies and policies. This will contribute to the reduction of their socio-economic marginalisation and thus to the region’s stability, which is in the Swiss and international community’s interest.


Municipal Economic Development in Eastern Serbia

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2021

The Project will scale up successful experience of property tax collection to 1/3 of Serbian municipalities. The municipalities will be able to increase own revenue and use it to fund services and communal intrastructures for citizens and businesses. lmproved taxation will also lead to a better interaction between citizens and local governments on investment priorities. Policy dialogue will work on simplifying local government tax laws and making them fairer and more transparent.


Lugano Summer School

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2021

The Lugano Summer School in Public Health Policy, Economics and Management is an international hub for post-graduate short-term training and learning in public health bringing together practitioners and academics from around the world. Its innovative and interactive methods for teaching and exchanging enhance health professionals’ capacities to manage, develop and promote health services and systems and to contribute to achieving the SDG3.


Promotion of Tenure Track – The Tenure Track Pilot Programme (TTPP)

01.05.2017 - 10.12.2024

Top researchers and their teams receive financial support and favourable conditions in Croatian research institutions to realise their research. By this, Croatia remains attractive for scientists with high potential. Brain drain is prevented. Switzerland contributes to enhancing the Croatian research system by promoting a new career model for future professors.


Supporting the Medical Education Reform in Ukraine

01.05.2017 - 30.11.2022


A profound health reform is underway in Ukraine. The currently ill-prepared medical education system is a fundamental component of it. Training curricula are outdated and teaching staff lack essentials skills, capacities and motivation. This project supports the reform of the medical education system for family doctors and nurses, and the strengthening of competencies of healthcare managers. As a result, significant quality improvements of health care delivered to the population are expected.


NGO Block Grant

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2022

The NGO Block will support approximately 40 projects with up to maximum CHF 200’000 per project, to implement activities primarily focused on children and youth as well as their family members, related to improving their skills and knowledge on sustainable development.


Support for international R&D cooperation in Croatia

The founder and managing director of lighting company REFLECTA presenting his lighting project with the aid of a flipchart.

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2022

Croatia ranks above average in terms of investment in new technologies compared to other EU member states but lags behind in the development of new products. Innovation is a key driver of economic development and therefore important to a country with a high unemployment rate. Switzerland is therefore contributing CHF 1 million to support Croatia's Eurostars programme. This programme promotes international R&D cooperation between Croatian SMEs and European partners.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Croatia
Unallocated / Unspecified
Sectors not specified
Promoting economic growth and improving working conditions

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2022


CHF 1'000'000



Partnership Block Grant Croatia

01.05.2017 - 31.12.2022

The Partnership Block Grant will support approximately 20 projects with up to CHF 250’000 per project, aiming at the improvement of living conditions in Croatia through the exchange of information, transfer of know-how and good practices between the two countries.


Maximum cooperation needed to manage glacier melt in Central Asia

Two men working with specialist equipment on a glacier.

01.05.2017 - 31.07.2022

How to meet the needs of Central Asia’s 68 million inhabitants for water while respecting the glaciers overlooking Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan? The SDC’s project is building on voluntary regional cooperation and rigorous scientific monitoring of the changes taking place in the glaciers.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Central Asia
Water

Water diplomacy and security
Water sector policy
Water resources conservation

01.05.2017 - 31.07.2022


CHF 1'200'000



Medical Education Reforms in Kyrgyzstan

01.05.2017 - 31.08.2021

Although health sector reforms have prioritised family medicine, the medical education system continues to prepare narrow specialists, leading to a shortage of family doctors mainly in rural areas. The Ministry of Health initiated the medical education reforms with focus on family doctors specialty at pregraduate level and compulsory postgraduate clinical practice in the regions. Phase II of the project will finalize the medical education reform implementation process with focus on postgraduate and continuous medical education.


Formación técnica profesional

01.05.2017 - 31.10.2023

Vocational skills development is key for improving production and expanding opportunities for employment and self-employment. The project aims to reduce poverty and inequality by enhancing access to the labour market. It seeks to strengthen vocational skills and certify competences with an emphasis on young people and adults, promote the quality of training centres, and the shared responsibility of public/private stakeholders. Strategies cover both the national and the local level.

Object 649 – 660 of 971