Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation states on its website that it is “guided by” the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 policy goals that were adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as a part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. ^{2 3 4}

As of 2026, the agency’s website described the disputed Palestinian territories as the “occupied Palestinian territories,” and stated that Switzerland’s approach to the conflict was “based on the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure, recognised borders.” ⁵

Background

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is an international cooperation agency that is a part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of Switzerland. Founded in 1961 as the “Swiss Service for Technical Cooperation,” the organization changed to its current name in 1996. ¹

The agency, which works alongside other federal offices, is responsible for the coordination of cooperation and development activities, as well as the coordination of humanitarian aid delivered by Switzerland. ¹

SDC provided multilateral aid to all United Nations organizations in 2009. The aid amounted to a total of CHF 168.4 million (around $208.17 million), which represented 30 percent of the total multilateral assistance delivered in 2009. ¹

The SDC has approximately 600 members of staff in Switzerland and around the world. ¹

The agency partners with both public and private entities, and as of June 2026, focuses its work on 34 countries across the world, including 13 in sub-Saharan Africa, nine in Eastern Europe, four in North Africa and the Middle East, and eight in Asia. ²

International Cooperation Strategy 2025-2028

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation implements Switzerland’s “International Cooperation Strategy 2025-2028,” which was adopted by the Swiss Federal Assembly in December 2024. The strategy is also implemented by the Peace and Human Rights Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. ⁶

The Swiss government set the strategy’s maximum finances at CHF 11.12 billion (around $13.7 billion) with “five commitment appropriations,” which, according to SDC’s website, includes CHF 1.5 billion (approximately $1.85 billion) to support Ukraine, and CHF 1.6 billion (around $1.97 billion) to combat environmental issues. Swiss parliament approved nearly CHF 2.5 billion (approximately $3 billion) in funding for 2026. ⁶

According to its website, the SDC “realises 73% of the five commitment appropriations” through its work regarding humanitarian aid and development cooperation. ⁶

Sustainable Development Goals

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation states on its website that it is “guided by” the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 policy goals that were adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as a part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 17 SDGs include 169 policy targets and focus on issues including climate action, gender issues, energy production, government institutions, education issues, and global poverty. ^{2 3 4}

Support for Palestinian Groups

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has provided funding to anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian organizations. The agency provided approximately $65,000 from 2014 to 2016 to Breaking the Silence, an Israeli non-governmental organization (NGO) comprised of veterans of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that advocates to “expose the public to the daily reality of the occupation and Israeli military rule over the Palestinian civilian population” through collecting testimonials of IDF soldiers that have served within the Palestinian territories. ^{7 8}

The organization also sent a delegation to the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in October 2007. The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights is a Palestinian NGO that uses research and legal advocacy to promote the protection of human rights for communities within the Gaza Strip region. It advocates for Palestinian land rights in the disputed West Bank and Gaza, a full arms embargo of Israel, and for economic, political, and diplomatic sanctions against Israel. ^{9 10 11}

The SDC’s website also describes the disputed Palestinian territories as the “occupied Palestinian territories,” and asserts that Switzerland’s approach to the conflict is “based on the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure, recognised borders.” ⁵

SDC has also funded the Palestinian Performing Arts Network (PPAN), a cultural organization located in the West Bank comprising of several local performing arts centers and theaters. SDC funded the network’s “PPAN Showcase 2019,” alongside the Swedish Consulate General in Jerusalem. ¹²

Development Initiatives Report

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation partnered with Development Initiatives to produce a report titled “The P20 in Benin: From consultation to consensus.” Development Initiatives is an advocacy organization claiming to research and report on policies meant to reduce rates of poverty around the world. The organization participates in several partnerships with other organizations that advocate for to environmentalist “sustainable” development practices. ^{13 14 15}