Federal Council prioritises international cooperation and strengthens humanitarian aid

The review of international cooperation was carried out as part of the 2027 budget relief package. In August 2025, the Federal Council instructed the FDFA and the EAER to examine the potential for synergies between the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The key parameters adopted by the Federal Council today are also based on an external evaluation of Switzerland’s international cooperation.

Clear division of responsibilities between the SDC and SECO

The FDFA and the EAER will continue to share responsibility for international cooperation. In future, however, responsibilities will be organised according to the principle of ‘one country, one department’. At the same time, the geographical and thematic priorities are being more closely defined.

The SDC will now focus on low-income countries, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia, while SECO will focus on middle-income countries where the priority is to create favourable conditions for trade and investment in order to generate shared prosperity. As part of this shift in priorities, development cooperation is being scaled back in Latin America. At the same time, SECO will in future be responsible for cooperation with the EU, the Western Balkans and selected countries in Asia. The selection of countries will continue to be based on clear priorities: first, local needs; second, Switzerland’s interests; and third, the specific added value that Switzerland can provide compared with other donor countries.

In terms of thematic focus, the SDC and SECO will continue to concentrate on their core tasks. The SDC focuses on health, the rule of law, climate and migration, while SECO focuses on strengthening the private sector, inclusive economic growth, sustainable value chains and the diversification of economic relations.

New rules will also be introduced governing the implementation of Switzerland’s contribution to selected EU member states to promote cohesion. From 2028, the EAER will take over operational responsibility as the implementing agency. The FDFA will remain responsible for foreign policy and diplomacy.

Strengthening of humanitarian aid

Wars, crises and natural disasters are on the rise worldwide. In order to be able to provide swift, effective assistance, the Federal Council is strengthening humanitarian aid. In future, it will focus consistently on acute crises and emergency aid. In protracted conflicts or crises, the aid operation may be continued and supplemented in a targeted manner with measures to mitigate risks and strengthen resilience.

The share of humanitarian aid in the international cooperation budget is to be increased from around 26% at present to around 40% in future. In doing so, the Federal Council is taking account of a trend that has become clearly apparent in recent years: between 2020 and 2025, it has had to submit 13 requests for supplementary humanitarian funding to Parliament; by contrast, in the 14 years prior to that, there had been only six. Parliament’s consistent support for these credits demonstrates Switzerland’s widespread solidarity with people in need.

Multilateral organisations remain a key pillar of international cooperation. In future, support will be provided in accordance with clear criteria, the key factors being alignment with the objectives of the current international cooperation strategy, Switzerland’s scope for influence, and consistency with Swiss host country policy and Swiss interests within the international financial institutions. Humanitarian aid and peace diplomacy remain geographically universal in scope and can be deployed worldwide.

Greater impact and increased efficiency

Targeting international cooperation enhances its impact, efficiency and coherence, while at the same time creating financial leeway. Between 2027 and 2030, total savings of around CHF 113 million are expected to be achieved for the federal budget. This will involve a reduction in the workforce of around 100 posts. Around two-thirds relate to local staff abroad, and around one-third to federal employees. Some of the local staff will have to be made redundant. For federal employees, this reduction will be achieved through natural turnover and internal redeployment.

The organisational changes will be implemented jointly by the FDFA and the EAER. The Federal Council has instructed both departments to implement the measures set out in the budget relief programme from 2027 onwards and, on the basis of the agreed key parameters, to submit a consultation document on the International Cooperation Strategy 2029–32 by the spring of 2028.