Executive Summary

On 24 June 2026, the Swiss Federal Council adopted the framework parameters for international cooperation (IZA) from 2029 onwards. Switzerland is realigning its development aid geographically and thematically: DEZA focuses on low-income countries in Africa and Asia, SECO on middle-income countries. The share of humanitarian aid in the IZA budget is to increase from 26 to 40 percent. Savings of around 113 million Swiss francs are to be achieved by 2030, with an unchanged total budget of around 2.4 billion Swiss francs annually.

Organizations

  • Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA)
  • State Secretariat for the Economy (SECO)

Topics

  • International Development Cooperation
  • Humanitarian Aid
  • Budget Reforms
  • Geopolitical Realignment

Clarus Lead

The reform responds to a changed global security situation: Between 2020 and 2025, Switzerland had to request 13 humanitarian supplementary credits from Parliament – twice as many as in the fourteen years prior. This shift necessitates structural adjustments to the budget. At the same time, the withdrawal from Latin America and concentration on Africa signals a geopolitical reassessment: Switzerland is leaving regions with established stability in favor of crisis areas with greater needs. The reduction of around 100 positions and the redistribution of responsibilities between EDA and SECO aim at efficiency gains without budget increases – a critical test for operational performance under pressure.

Detailed Summary

The reorganization follows the principle of "One country, one office": DEZA (Directorate for Development and Cooperation) will be concentrated on low-income countries, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia, with priorities in health, rule of law, climate and migration. SECO (State Secretariat for the Economy) takes over middle-income countries and focuses on private sector development, inclusive economic growth and sustainable value chains. New additions for SECO include cooperation with the EU, the Western Balkans and selected Asian countries.

Humanitarian aid is being structurally strengthened: Its budget share increases from 26 to 40 percent. It will henceforth concentrate on acute crises and emergency relief, but can be supplemented by risk reduction and resilience measures in protracted conflicts. This geographically universal orientation is maintained. Multilateral organizations will henceforth be supported based on three criteria: alignment with IZA objectives, Switzerland's scope for influence and coherence with Swiss interests.

The personnel reduction of approximately 100 positions is distributed across two-thirds local staff abroad (with necessary redundancies) and one-third federal staff (through natural attrition). The EDA and WBF were tasked with submitting a consultation draft on the IZA Strategy 2029–2032 by spring 2028 and implementing measures from 2027 onwards.

Key Statements

  • Switzerland is sharpening its development aid geographically and thematically to increase impact and efficiency
  • Humanitarian aid is being increased from 26 to 40 percent of the IZA budget – a response to increased global crises
  • Savings of 113 million Swiss francs by 2030 are to be achieved without budget increases
  • Clear division of labor between DEZA and SECO replaces geographic overlaps

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Data Quality: Is the increase in humanitarian aid based on forecasts of future crises or on retrospective data (2020–2025)? How robust are these forecasts for planning through 2032?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent do Swiss economic interests (SECO's focus on middle-income countries) influence geographic selection versus purely needs-based criteria?

  3. Causality: Does concentration on fewer countries actually lead to greater impact, or is there a risk of fragmentation and loss of coordination between DEZA and SECO?

  4. Feasibility: How will the 100 personnel reductions (particularly redundancies of local staff) affect operational capacity in crisis countries while humanitarian aid is to increase by 40 percent?

  5. Alternatives: Was a budget increase for humanitarian aid examined as an alternative to restructuring, or was the zero-sum constraint politically predetermined?

  6. Side Effects: What are the consequences of withdrawal from Latin America for existing partnerships and for Switzerland's credibility as a reliable donor?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council – International Cooperation: Framework Parameters from 2029 – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/2XR4cr60LmaOfMN7Fll2n

Verification Status: ✓ 24.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 24.06.2026