SDC units and expertise

CDE thematic section (thematic cooperation)

As part of SDC’s thematic division, the thematic section Climate, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environment (CDE) is the SDC knowledge broker and pacemaker in the field of C/D/E. In accordance with its mandate, the CDE thematic section:

• Participates in global policy dialogue and norm-setting
• Manages an operational portfolio of bilateral and multilateral projects
• Provides advisory services to other SDC units based on the subsidiary principle (internal link)
• Holds responsibility for institutional learning and capacity development, mainly through the CDE network

The CDE section also hosts the CDE Network, which focuses on institutional learning and capacity development for the whole of the SDC and its partners.

Together with the SDC networks on Water and Agriculture and Food Systems, the CDE Network forms the Cluster Green to cover the thematic nexus on water-energy-food-environment.

👓Further resources

Bilateral cooperation and thematic hubs

Based on dedicated cooperation programmes, the geographic divisions and sections implement bilateral and regional programmes and partnerships in their respective geographic areas. This can be done through their own initiatives or through initiatives co-created with thematic cooperation. Such interventions are the product of a close collaboration between the respective sections. The extent of collaboration can vary from ad hoc thematic advisory to co-designing or even co-financing.

For C/D/E, thematic regional advisors and/or regional thematic hubs of the geographic divisions act as knowledge bearers and first responders on C/D/E issues. These thematic resource persons and thematic hubs combine thematic and contextual knowledge, an essential function for tailor-made C/D/E solutions in the respective geographic contexts. They are thus an important link between Headquarters and the Swiss Embassies and Cooperation Offices, as they are the entry point for regional or geographic needs arising in the Swiss representations in terms of thematic functions – programmes and strategic partnerships, advisory services, capacity building, policy dialogue and norm-setting.

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Thematic hubs and regional thematic experts:

Multilateral division

The Multilateral Affairs and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) Division is responsible for coordinating the engagement with multilateral organisations and the Swiss NGOs, thus covering the management of core contributions and the steering of such partners as UN bodies, multilateral development banks, the ICRC and Swiss NGOs. As such, it plays an important role in influencing the strategic direction of these institutions as well as in leveraging good practices (financial as well as outreach) through contributing to the institutions' programmes or multilateral and bilateral activities.

👓Further resources

• coming soon

Humanitarian Aid Division and Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) Expert Groups

As part of the SDC, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid (SHA) unit uses a variety of instruments to save lives and alleviate suffering, and fulfils three complementary roles – donor, advocate, and actor. It is active in protecting the interests of vulnerable populations before, during and after periods of conflicts, crises or disasters caused by natural hazards.

The SHA Unit maintains 11 expert groups that assist rapid response missions and direct actions and provide secondments to partner organisations, and to SDC cooperation offices, embassies and HQ. Several of these groups, particularly Construction; Water and Environmental Sanitation; Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction; Medical; and Protection, support C/D/E activities.

In addition, the SDC has a Humanitarian Competency Centre (HCC) with thematic experts covering C/D/E topics most relevant to humanitarian aid. The HCC offers products and services related to knowledge management and capacity building, provides financial support through contributions and secondments, and assists in advocacy and policy development. Resources include the SHA Operational Concept 2022-2030, the DRR Operational Concept 2021–24 and the WASH Operational Concept 2023–26.

👓Further resources

Other Swiss government actors in C/D/E

The FDFA actors

As a part of the FDFA state secretariat, the Prosperity and Sustainability Division, in cooperation with the Swiss financial centre and other specialised services, is responsible for coordinating foreign policies in economic affairs, the environment, energy, transport, health, and science. The Climate, Environment and Health section monitors regional and global challenges with foreign policy relevance in the environment, energy, and health (global and regional risks), as well as emerging issues in these areas. The section aims to ensure the coherence of Switzerland's foreign policy in these areas and to ensure that the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals are reflected and taken into account in the multilateral negotiations it supports.

Other departments

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) is the lead agency for climate change, environmental issues and natural hazard prevention in Switzerland, with a strong international element in many C/D/E areas, including leadership on several global policy tracks (UNFCCC, CBD, various environmental conventions) and a lead or co-lead on global climate and environmental finance (GEF, GCF). While not having an international operations portfolio of its own, the FOEN is the lead agency for bilateral climate agreements under Art 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is the Swiss federal government’s centre of competence for all core economic and labour market policy issues. As such, it implements part of Switzerland’s international cooperation strategy through its Economic Cooperation and Development unit, with a strong focus on climate and resource efficiency (bilateral projects, climate financing, mobilisation of private sector finance).