Switzerland

In 2009 Switzerland gave its largest official development assistance (ODA) contribution to date – US$2.1 billion – but at the same time contributed its lowest level of humanitarian aid since 1997, at US$187 million. Switzerland is one of the most generous government donors and its humanitarian aid per citizen in 2009 was US$25, ranking it in ninth place.

Humanitarian aid sits under the responsibility of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In times of crisis, a team of experts is deployed through the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA).

The Swiss Confederation’s humanitarian aid strategy 2007–2010 builds on the 2005 version and outlines a strategic focus on four key policy areas: prevention and preparation; emergency aid; reconstruction; and advocacy. In 2012, SDC will focus on 12 priority countries or regions: Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, Mozambique, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Mekong Region, Bolivia and Central America. Five countries will no longer be on the priority list: Ecuador, India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Peru.

Switzerland is a member of the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) group, having chaired it in 2009, and its development cooperation policy was last DAC peer reviewed in 2009.