Europe and Middle East Division
The Europe and Middle East Division coordinates Switzerland’s international and humanitarian cooperation in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It is jointly responsible for the second Swiss contribution to selected member states of the European Union (EU).
The Europe and Middle East Division has a broad portfolio spanning a wide range of cultural and political contexts. Developments in the region have a particularly strong influence on Switzerland due to the geographical proximity involved. Switzerland maintains close economic and political ties with most partner countries in the region, often due to the presence of significant diaspora communities. International cooperation adopts an integrated approach that provides humanitarian aid while promoting peace, and creating prospects and prosperity. The thematic focus of the Europe and Middle East Division is on decentralisation and good governance, economic development, training and employment (particularly for young people and the rural population), health, water and infrastructure.
The division assists partner countries in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia) with regional and European integration. Along with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and other federal offices, it is responsible for providing support on behalf of Switzerland to people in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova affected by Russia’s war of aggression.
The division runs two regional cooperation programmes in the Middle East (Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, Syria, and Turkey). It also maintains relations with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
It is jointly responsible for implementing the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. This is divided into the ‹Cohesion› and ‹Migration› framework credits, which are managed by the SDC, SECO and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
Links
Eastern Europe
Middle East
Member States of the European Union (EU)
Contact
Eichenweg 5
3003 Bern