Swiss cooperation office to resume activities in Niger

Since August 11, the Swiss cooperation experts repatriated to Bern have been managing various projects in Niger remotely. Keystone / Issifou Djibo

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) plans to gradually resume activities in Niger after staff left the country in a hurry following the coup d'état in July.

Almost two months after the overthrow of Niger’s elected president and the seizure of power by the military, the SDC has decided to reopen its office in Niamey. Four Swiss experts returned to the Nigerien capital on Monday.

+ Swiss experts leave Niger amid security concerns

“We have carried out a security analysis, and even if the situation remains fragile, we can work on site,” the head of communications at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) told Swiss public television, RTS. “If the situation deteriorates, our expatriate staff will be able to leave the country [again],” added Nicolas Bideau.

Since August 11, the SDC experts repatriated to Bern have been managing various projects in Niger remotely. The SDC has been providing humanitarian aid and development programs in this Sahel country for decades. In 2023, the budget for this support will amount to CHF30 million ($33 million).

As the SDC office in Niamey resumes its activities in the field, a key priority is to adapt some of its programmes to the new situation.

Bern has decided to suspend all direct payments to the central government and state agencies, representing a total of almost CHF3 million. The Confederation does not want this money to end up in the pockets of the military.

Three projects are partially affected. They concern the development of small-scale irrigation, access to drinking water and local entrepreneurship.

However, the FDFA promises that these sums will still benefit the people in Niger. They will be reallocated to projects in the fields of education and human security.

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