Review praises Swiss for work towards aid goals

Switzerland gave $3 billion in foreign aid in 2012 Keystone

Switzerland invested three billion dollars (CHF2.7 billion) in foreign development aid in 2012, earning praise from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for being well on its way to meeting its 2015 aid goal.

Switzerland aims to donate 0.5% of its gross national income to development aid projects by 2015; in 2012, it gave 0.45%. The OECD especially lauded Switzerland for complying with recommendations to focus its aid on poverty reduction and sustainability projects, noting that cooperation with other Swiss entities working in areas like diplomacy and migration had improved.

In the future, the OECD encouraged Switzerland to become more of a leader in development co-operation and continue to focus its aid resources on fragile countries that need long-term support.

“Switzerland is well-placed to become a more visible leader on development issues and can capitalise on its extensive experience on the ground to influence global policy in areas like conflict, fragility, food security and climate change,” said OECD Development Assistance Committee Chair Erik Solheim.

As the 11th biggest provider of aid, Switzerland is considered a mid-sized donor by the OECD.

Each member of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee is reviewed every four to five years as a way to monitor its development aid and keep track of its commitments and improvements. The Swiss review included visits to Burkina Faso and Kyrgyzstan, with delegates from Korea and New Zealand serving as peer examiners and China in the role of observer.