Switzerland works to help build inclusive societies in the Mekong region, particularly in Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), by promoting equitable and sustainable development and democratic governance. To help support the rural populations, Switzerland carries out activities in local governance and citizen participation, agriculture and food security as well as vocational skills development and employment.
Mekong region (Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic)
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In spite of the economic progression in Cambodia and Lao PDR since 2000, which enabled both countries to achieve progress in reducing poverty, inequality is rising. It is felt particularly for rural populations who continue to depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. The most vulnerable groups – women, ethnic minorities and people living in remote regions – are also the worst affected. Cambodia and Lao PDR, still the poorest countries in South East Asia, are striving to meet significant challenges by driving social and environmental development, diversifying the economy and strengthening inclusive growth. Although the agreement setting up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community entered into force in 2015, disparities between the development levels of the poorest and more advanced countries in this region remain considerable and need to be reduced before ASEAN can emerge as a unified economic zone.
Switzerland has good, long-standing relations with countries in the Mekong region. In line with its 2018–21 regional cooperation strategy, Switzerland continues to work in Cambodia and Lao PDR while at the same time adopting a collaborative regional approach to address common development challenges with the support of specialised agencies active in the region. In 2016, Switzerland was given the status of ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner, which enables it to work more closely with this major organisation in South East Asia.
Switzerland promotes gender equality, the inclusion of marginalised groups and non-discrimination in its programmes. It also includes climate change adaptation, disaster mitigation and risk reduction. A conflict-sensitive approach is essential, particularly in a post-conflict context such as Cambodia.
Swiss Bilateral ODA |
2018 |
2019 |
2020* mill. CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) | |||
| Bilateral development cooperation | 40.98 | 35.36 | 35.50 |
| Humanitarian aid | 0.96 | 0.20 | 0.13 |
| State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) | |||
| Economic Cooperation and Development | 2.88 | 0.21 | 3.24 |
| Human Security Division (HSD) | |||
| Conflict transformation and human rights | – | 0.03 | – |
| Total SDC/SECO/DSH | 44.82 | 35.80 | 38.87 |
| Other Federal Offices | |||
| Network of FDFA representations abroad | 3.55 | 3.14 | .. |
| State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) | – | 0.01 | .. |
| Total other Federal Offices | 3.55 | 3.15 | – |
| Cantons and municipalities | 0.82 | .. | .. |
| Total | 49.19 | 38.95 | 38.87 |
Swiss government spending for development and cooperation for the current year and the past two years, broken down by institution.
* planned; total based on available data
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Agriculture and Food Security
Increasing income and food security for smallholders
Switzerland helps smallholder farmers diversify their products and access agricultural land, forests and means of production. In so doing, farmers can also increase their incomes by using more effective advisory services, fairer value chains and easier access to markets.
In Cambodia, 6,000 farmers, predominantly women, have increased their production and incomes thanks to a horticultural programme using a market development approach in collaboration with the private sector. In the northern highlands of Lao PDR, more than 250,000 households have benefited from projects implemented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in rural regions with high levels of poverty. One of the SDC projects there made it possible to lower the high rate of malnutrition among the under-fives (44%).
Local Governance and Citizen Participation
Decentralisation and capacity building
Switzerland helps women and men take part in public policymaking and investment, and demand accountability from the public administration for their activities. Citizens need effective social services, particularly for the most vulnerable groups such as women and ethnic minorities. In Cambodia, the SDC is supporting a decentralisation programme to reform and strengthen local government structures. Access to local social services in all of the country's 25 provinces and 197 districts is improving public satisfaction. Switzerland is also helping to fund hospitals in Kantha Bopha, which treat around 70% of all children living in Cambodia. In Lao PDR, around 1 million people – almost 75% of whom are from an ethnic minority and more than 50% of whom are women – have benefited from Switzerland's contribution to the World Bank-led Poverty Reduction Fund, which has built more than 2,270 public facilities such as schools, clinics and water supplies.
Employment and Vocational Skills Development
Improving access to employment
Switzerland develops projects to help rural people improve their skills and access the job market. In Cambodia, it supports a joint United Nations youth employment programme targeting three provinces where it aims to train 5,400 young people in mechanics, construction and tourism in collaboration with the private sector. In Lao PDR, between 2013 and 2017 more than 2,500 young people from the countryside took courses in carpentry, tailoring, cookery, mechanics, electrics and farming in order to improve their employability and incomes.
Regional activities
With the aim of addressing cross-boarder challenges, Switzerland works together with regional institutions involved in water governance (the Mekong River Commission), access to customary rights on farming land and forests (RECOFTC) as well as skills development for migrant workers (PROMISE).
Partners
- Swiss partners: Helvetas Intercooperation, Swisscontact, the Centre for Development and Environment (University of Bern), the Kantha Bopha Foundation
- Ministries and provincial/district authorities
Local and international NGOs: WWF, PIC, GIZ, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation - Regional partners: International Organization for Migration (IOM), The Center for People and Forests, Mekong River Commission, Land Equity International
- Bilateral donors: e.g. Germany, Nordic countries, EU
Multilateral organisations: e.g. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Links
Documents
Current projects
Selection
Skills Development Program Cambodia
01.07.2024
- 31.12.2028
Skills development is a key driver for inclusive growth in Cambodia, but delivery is poor. Through the Skills Development Program, SDC supports the rural poor and disadvantaged youth in northern provinces to have better access to more gainful and decent employment through vocational and life skills and contributes to strengthening the TVET national regulatory framework for better inclusion, more effective delivery and higher relevance of vocational skills to labor market needs.
UN Joint Programme on Youth Employment
01.01.2024
- 31.12.2028
Cambodia is the most youthful country in South East Asia with more than 50% of the population below 25 years. The key challenge of Cambodia is to create decent and productive employment opportunities for new entrants to the labour market. With its contribution, SDC addresses the challenge by enabling young people to have access to skills and quality education and employment whilst promoting rightful and decent working conditions.
Planned project
Hospitality Skills Development Laos
01.11.2021
- 31.12.2025
In Laos, tourism is the sector with the highest potential to create jobs for the poor. SDC’s support will allow 20’000 youth to acquire the skills needed to work in hotels and restaurants. Dual Cooperative Training (apprenticeships) will provide for work place orientation of skills and facilitate an easy transition of trainees into full employment. Financial incentives will ensure that youth from poor families and SME hotels and restaurants profit from the project. Affirmative action mechanisms are applied so that at least 70% of trainees supported are women, mostly from ethnic minorities.
WFP/UNHAS common services for Southeast Asia during COVID-19
12.06.2020
- 31.12.2020
Contribution by two funding entities (Humanitarian Aid and South Cooperation) to support WFP/UNHAS in Southeast Asia in the framework of the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan in terms of passenger services, light cargo and MEDEVAC. With passenger planes and air ambulances (air base: Subang/Kuala Lumpur) the freedom of movement of humanitarian and development workers as well as other supporters to the Global Humanitarian Response Plan who got into “land-locked” situations where no commercial capacity is available or possible to use is enhanced by WFP/UNHAS’ air or sea transport services.
Mine Action for Human Development in Cambodia 2017- 2025
01.01.2020
- 31.12.2025
Over the past 20 years Cambodia has made significant progress in clearing landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). Nevertheless 1,640 km2 of land remain contaminated as suspected minefields at this moment. SDC plans supporting national and regional mine action initiatives to ensure that development of poor rural communities is no longer impeded by disablement and restricted access to land, forests and water resources due to landmines and ERW.
Vocational training and employment support services (VTESS)
01.08.2019
- 31.07.2023
The Vocational Training and Employment Support Services (VTESS) Project supports the government of Laos in institutionalizing a national inclusive system for the integration of early school leavers into technical training courses and further education. In the current phase, 3000 disadvantaged young men and women will benefit from improved, labour market relevant training courses. At the same time, the establishment of employment support services to help graduates find employment or self-employment will be piloted.
Support to SNDD Cambodia
01.04.2019
- 31.12.2022
SDC supports the third phase National Program for Sub-National Democratic Development (NP-SNDD) with a specific focus on the Implementation of Social Accountability Framework (ISAF) through a World Bank Trust Fund. The objective is to improve the performance of public service providers (primary schools, health centers and communes) with improved transparency, strengthened citizen engagement and government’s responsive actions
RECOFTC – Center for People and Forests: Resilient landscapes for secured rights and prosperous communities
01.01.2019
- 31.12.2023
Regional Economic Development Program, Cambodia
01.01.2019
- 30.09.2021
The Regional Economic Development (RED IV) program, co-financed by Switzerland and Germany, will be implemented in three north-western provinces of Cambodia. It aims at strengthening the capacity of sub-national and local governments to tackle economic development measures and supporting rural poor, in particular women, to increase their income and actively participate in local economic development, thereby reducing poverty of the rural population.
Fondation Kantha Bopha – Dr med. Beat Richner
01.01.2019
- 31.12.2021
25 years of Dr Richner’s tireless efforts resulted in millions of children receiving free quality medical care at Kantha Bopha Hospitals. Despite his retirement early 2017, the five hospitals are operating smoothly with the management model he set up and the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to maintain it. SDC’s financial support remains crucial until a sustainable Cambodian financing is found.
Remote sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging economies (RIICE) - Phase 3
01.08.2018
- 31.12.2021
Extreme weather events increasingly affect small-scale producers in Asia. Satellites and other information technologies present tremendous potential for improved country-wide monitoring of crop growth and insurance solutions for extreme weather events. With RIICE, SDC supports the integration of expertise from Swiss private actors and international public research centres toward modernizing public agricultural services and crop insurance programmes, offering performant solutions to Governments and producers to cope with production shortfalls.
Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) Phase 2
01.07.2018
- 31.12.2022
Land governance remains at the centre of development challenges in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), and land expropriation is a key driver of new poverty and food insecurity. The governments in the region have begun to turn their attention to legal and policy issues on land governance. This creates an opportunity for MRLG and the Reform Actors it brings together, to contribute to improvements in policies and practices regarding land tenure security for family farmers.
Multimedia
These videos show how the SDC works to improve market access for Vietnamese tea pickers, hemp producers, farmers, and cinnamon essential-oil producers.