Swiss contribute CHF52.7 million to UN development programme
The government will support the UN Development Programme (UNDP) with CHF52.7 million ($57.8 million) next year.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ts
The number of people living in extreme poverty has increased for the first time since 1998 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government said in a statementExternal link on Wednesday.
According to UN estimates, $10.3 billion is needed to meet the humanitarian needs and longer-term social, economic and political impact of Covid-19 in the poorest countries. The World Bank estimates that the pandemic could cause up to 115 million people to fall back into extreme poverty.
The CHF52.7 million from Switzerland is an important contribution to overcoming this crisis, the government said. Switzerland is also helping to achieve the goals for sustainable development in Agenda 2030.
Swiss interests
“The UNDP supports developing countries in reducing poverty and overcoming structural obstacles to achieving sustainable development, for example by promoting conflict prevention and strengthening democratic governance and crisis management capacities,” the government said.
“The UNDP’s objectives are consistent with Switzerland’s interests, working as it does to reduce inequality and poverty, and to mitigate the effects of conflicts and other threats that have an impact far beyond the developing countries.”
The UNDP has been Switzerland’s strategic partner since 1974 and is one of the priority multilateral organisations for international cooperation in Switzerland.
In addition to the general contribution to UNDP, Switzerland directly supports 167 projects around the world. In the period from 2018 to 2020, Switzerland supported the UNDP with a core contribution of CHF156.4 million.
More
More
Swiss fund Palestinian refugee agency but with reservations
This content was published on
The Swiss government has decided to continue its support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees but only for a two-year period.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss cut financial contributions to UN agencies
This content was published on
The Swiss government has reduced by CH30 million ($30.2 million) its financial contribution to UN agencies over the next three years.
This content was published on
A “new deal” for Somalia: that’s what the international community proposed at two conferences, one in London in 2012 and the other in Brussels last autumn. The idea is that a process of reconciliation and reconstruction should take place over the course of three years, ending with general elections in 2016. The European Union believes…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.