Published on 29 April 2025

SDC’s countries of intervention

Switzerland’s international cooperation focuses on four priority regions: sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.  The SDC is active in 34 countries with bilateral development cooperation projects. It also has a universal mandate to deliver humanitarian aid and provides immediate emergency assistance during crises and disasters. There are seven countries in which the SDC has maintained its commitment for several years due to the protracted nature of the crises.

Countries where Switzerland is active in the fields of development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peace-building. — © FDFA

The four priority regions of Switzerland’s Strategy for International Cooperation 2021-2024 (sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe) continue to be relevant and have been retained for the period 2025-2028.

In its bilateral development cooperation, the SDC has reduced the number of priority countries receiving long-term assistance from 35 to 34.

The SDC has a universal mandate to provide humanitarian aid. It is not possible to predict the kinds of disasters (for example, earthquakes, floods, famines, cholera) and responses that will be needed during 2025-2028. It has been observed, however, that many crises are protracted and require humanitarian interventions lasting multiple years. In seven countries, the SDC’s humanitarian aid has consequently been maintained for a longer period due to the protracted nature of the crises.

Adapting instruments to the context

Switzerland’s international cooperation does not follow the same approach or the same objectives in every country. In some countries the focus is on its humanitarian mandate of saving lives and alleviating suffering, while in others IC supports partner country efforts towards sustainable development and poverty reduction. Increasingly, IC is adopting a short, medium and long-term approach. This allows it to respond to emergencies but also to address the structural factors that are responsible for fragility and low resilience, and thus promote stability.

Regional and thematic programme approach

In certain contexts, Switzerland’s international cooperation adopts a regional and thematic approach, such as in: priority countries facing crises (e.g. Syria, Somalia and Colombia), crises that impact neighbouring countries, and cooperation programmes on regional and transboundary issues, for example in the Mekong region, South Caucasus and Central Asia.

• Priority countries for bilateral development cooperation

• Humanitarian aid, multi-year commitment in protracted crisis contexts outside of priority countries