All publications

Un seul monde 3/2020

How is the fight against poverty progressing? What actions have the various countries taken to achieve the UN's sustainable development objectives? How can rapid and effective action be taken when a crisis breaks out? With Agenda 2030, the collection and analysis of statistical data has also become more important for development cooperation. However, not all countries have effective institutions.

Policy Sector Development and Cooperation: Research Concept 2021–2024

This Research Concept for the Development and Cooperation policy sector outlines the most important challenges and objectives of Swiss international cooperation as well as the research priorities in regard to development and cooperation.

Swiss Peace Supporter 3/20

For several decades, Switzerland has played an active role in peacebuilding operations in Sub-Saharan Africa and makes use of the diversity of its expertise. This edition of the SPS presents among others Swiss contributions to promoting peace in Zimbabwe, in the Central African Republic, and puts an emphasis on the access to justice and the initiative « Justice Rapid Response ».

Swiss Peace Supporter 2/2020

This edition presents the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic for peace building missions and sending organizations, especially in meeting their duty of care responsibilities for seconded staff. Together, they have put in place new priorities which allow for safe but also effective working conditions, as evidenced by contributions from Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, South Sudan and Somalia.

Reflection Papers on Culture and Development

This booklet "Reflection Papers on Culture and Development" shows how cultural engagement and development cooperation are connected. Based on theoretical debates and practical examples from various regions of the world, the impact and potential of cultural creation in terms of social transformation are discussed.

Switzerland's International Cooperation Strategy 2021-24

Through its international cooperation, Switzerland contributes to poverty reduction and sustainable development in developing countries. This brochure is an excerpt from the Dispatch to Parliament, in which the Federal Council explains its strategy and proposes five framework credits.

Results country programmes in EU-12 countries

Promoting renewable energy, creating employment and strengthening civil society: the final review of Switzerland's enlargement contribution summarises the results of the Swiss-backed projects.

Success Story Series of the Mekong Urban Flood Resilience Programme

“Mekong Urban Flood Resilience Programme” (FPP) was co-financed by SECO and BMZ, with SECO sharing the vast majority of the costs. Implementation commenced on 01 January 2017 and ended on 31 December 2019. Continuing the steering structure established under phase one, FPP was implemented in partnership between MoC and GIZ

Success story #6: From policy to people - Land subsidence in the Mekong Delta

The impact of land subsidence on various aspects of human life is quite evident and visible all over the Mekong-Delta. Effects include an increase in river-induced floods; erosion; salt water intrusion from the sea; instability of buildings (tilting, cracks); and the damaging and breaking of drinking water, sewerage, and drainage pipes. In the long run, lowlying areas will be submerged permanently. None of these effects are desirable.

Success story #4: Disaster risk management

A disaster arises when an extreme natural event strikes a vulnerable society. Whether a natural event becomes a disaster depends mainly on the social, economic, ecological and political characteristics of the society in question. Present day Disaster Risk Management (DRM) seeks to reduce a society’s vulnerability to extreme natural events so that even if such events occur they do not result in a disaster. Natural events can generally not be prevented – but their impact can be mitigated. It should be borne in mind that vulnerability arises from the susceptibility, coping capacity and adaptive capacity of individuals, households, communities and states. Reducing vulnerability therefore involves reducing the factors that contribute to it at all levels.

Success Story #2: Drainage Tariff Roadmaps

Despite more than three decades of impressive growth since the onset of economic reforms in Vietnam in 1986, many constraints of the pre-doi moi socialist state’s centrally planned economy continue to dominate management approaches of Government officials, administrative systems, institutional frameworks as well as planning and regulation in many sectors. This is particularly evident in state-run public utilities such as urban wastewater disposal and drainage management, which Vietnamese typically see as free-of- charge services to be provided by the state.

Success story #3: Flood modelling & city drainage planning

Cities in Vietnam overly rely on traditional drainage systems to discharge surface-runoff. Often, when overflowing rivers concur with intense rainfall, this underground infrastructure does not have the capacity to drain the water in time. As a result, areas with high population density, critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, and low-lying areas, where the poor and vulnerable often dwell, get flooded. In particular in the Mekong-Delta, urban flooding will increase due to climate change and other factors.

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