As part of its phasing out of bilateral development cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean by the end of 2024, Switzerland is focusing on winding down its more than 20 years of development policy engagement in Cuba in a responsible manner. The main priority is to ensure the sustainability of the results achieved. The thematic focus is on participatory and inclusive local development.
Cuba
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Embassy with Regional consular center |
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Cuba is currently experiencing the worst crisis since the 1990s. Political, economic and social challenges are adversely affecting the living conditions of the Cuban population. The government can no longer guarantee access to basic necessities (food, medicine, fuel, etc.). This has drastic consequences for food security, employment, health and education. The human rights situation has also deteriorated.
As part of its 2022–24 cooperation programme, Switzerland is phasing out its long-standing bilateral development cooperation with Cuba.
| Swiss Bilateral ODA | 2022 mill. CHF |
2023 mill. CHF |
2024 * mill. CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) | |||
| Bilateral development cooperation | 8.74 | 4.73 | 1.50 |
| Humanitarian aid | 0.50 | 0.50 | - |
| State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) | |||
| Economic Cooperation and Development | - | - | - |
| Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) | |||
| Conflict transformation and human rights | - | - | - |
| Total SDC/SECO/PHRD | 9.24 | 5.23 | 1.50 |
| Other Federal Offices | |||
| Other FDFA Divisions (ASAF, AIO, aso) | - | - | .. |
| Network of FDFA representations abroad | 0.92 | - | .. |
| State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) | - | - | .. |
| State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) | 0.02 | 0.03 | .. |
| MeteoSwiss | - | - | - |
| Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) | - | - | - |
| Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) | - | - | .. |
| Federal Statistical Office (FSO) | - | - | - |
| Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) | - | - | - |
| State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) | - | - | - |
| Total other Federal Offices | 0.94 | 0.03 | - |
| Cantons and municipalities | 0.05 | .. | .. |
| Total | 10.23 | 5.26 | 1.50 |
Data status at 02.04.2024
* planned; total based on available data
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Local development
The current crisis in Cuba underscores the importance of strengthening local sustainable development. Opportunities should be seized to launch economic and social initiatives and involve the population in decision-making at a decentralised level. During the phase-out, Switzerland is prioritising support for ongoing reform processes and initiatives to improve the living conditions of the Cuban population. Swiss programmes are focused on participatory and inclusive local development in the areas of municipal governance, access to food, sustainable local economic development, social inclusion and gender equality. Switzerland is also active in the areas of culture and health.
Approach and partners
In implementing its cooperation programme in Cuba, Switzerland works closely with partners with long-standing experience, innovative capacity and thematic expertise. The SDC has a broad, well-established network of partners with various national government institutions as well as with national and international NGOs, the UN and official bilateral development cooperation agencies. Some of the existing programmes are being transferred to the Cuban authorities or to other development agencies.
Links
Documents
Current projects
Selection
2023 Annual Allocation to WFP Country Strategic Plans - Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2023
Against historic levels of food security due to conflicts, climate change and COVID-19, Switzerland supports annually in 28 SDC priority countries operations of the World Food Programme to provide humanitarian and development assistance. It funds indistinctively Country Strategic Plans, incorporating all WFP programmes or projects, based on affected population needs and potential synergies with other local partners, especially national governments and civil society.
GEPAC - Gestión participativa local en la recuperación deI Centro Histórico
01.06.2022
- 30.06.2024
GEPAC III contribuye a la descentralización en Cuba colocando en leyes y politicas públicas y extendiendo a las localidades del país sus buenas prácticas de gestión: participación ciudadana directa, fomento de pequeño sector privado y autoempleo en la economía local, enfoque de responsabilidad social e inclusión, creación de oportunidades y servicios para mujeres y grupos vulnerables.
PYE - Participation and Equity Platform
01.12.2021
- 30.06.2024
PYE, phase 3, aims to consolidate in a platform the efforts of 15 Cuban civil society actors, including the 6 partners part of the Gender Equity Program (PEGIN), for the promotion of laws and public policies to improve human rights in Cuba, in the areas of gender, race, poverty and social inclusion to promote legislative, social and public policy changes, with the promotion of activism and leadership of local actors.
Inclusive Urbanisation
08.11.2021
- 31.12.2024
The program contributes to inclusive urbanization in Central America in partnership with UN-Habitat with the aim to improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations in urban settlements. Solid data and evidence on informal settlements and specialised advisory will contribute to improve urban policies. Capacity building, participatory planning approaches and increased involvement of the private sector will foster comprehensive and feasible solutions for informal settlements.
PAAS - Project to Support Sustainable Agriculture in Cuba
15.07.2021
- 30.06.2024
The phase 3 of PAAS proposes the consolidation of a methodology for the application and scaling up of the value chain management model. It includes elements of circular economy, climate-smart agriculture and agro-ecological certification in 11 municipalities and 5 chains (cassava, broiler chicken meat, small livestock, fruit trees and vegetables). The project expects to have an impact on agricultural public policies by incorporating the model into the guidelines of the prioritized national agricultural programs.
PRODEL - Program for strengthening municipal capacities for local development
01.04.2021
- 30.06.2024
PRODEL III contributes to the decentralization reform through introducing its municipal autonomy approach into new laws and policies, through training of “multipliers” and creation of advisory services to extend its tool of Municipal Development Strategy to more municipalities. The EDM strengthens municipal autonomy and efficient use of local resources for production infrastructure and services, while promoting participation and inclusion.
GEPAC- Gestión participativa local en la recuperación del Centro Histórico
01.06.2018
- 30.09.2022
GEPAC contribuye a la descentralización en Cuba creando herramientas de participación ciudadana directa en la planificación, la gestión urbana y la decisión sobre el uso de recursos financieros locales y de fortalecimiento del pequeño sector productivo no estatal con un enfoque de responsabilidad social e inclusión, priorizando oportunidades y demandas para personas de la tercera edad, mujeres, jóvenes y grupos en desventaja.
Proyecto de Apoyo a una Agricultura Sostenible en Cuba PAAS
01.04.2018
- 31.12.2021
PAAS promueve las bases de un modelo de gestión para el autoabastecimiento local de alimentos, en 22 municipios, que involucra a instituciones, gobiernos, productores y consumidores, y fomenta mejoras en la producción agroecológica, procesamiento, certificación y comercialización a nivel local para 6 cadenas de valor (frutas, miel, hortalizas, oleaginosas, yuca y pollo); a la vez que se genera confianza de los consumidores, mayor acceso a alimentos sanos y nuevos empleos.
Programa de apoyo a la Equidad y Participación local - PYE
01.06.2017
- 31.12.2021
En el contexto de la descentralización del desarrollo en curso en Cuba, la Cooperación Suiza apoya a los gobiernos locales, las comunidades y actores de la sociedad civil en la disminución de brechas de equidad. Mediante nueve organizaciones (cuatro ONG nacionales, tres proyectos comunitarios, una agencia de prensa y un centro académico) con experticia en género, medio ambiente, cultura, racialidad y vulnerabilidad, este proyecto promueve el desarrollo equitativo y la inclusión social.
PRODEL – Programme to strengthen municipal capacities for local development
01.04.2016
- 31.03.2021
PRODEL is part of the Cuban decentralization reform process that seeks to build the capacities of local government representatives in local development management and assist them in formulating and implementing Municipal Development Strategies (EDMs) as a tool to maximize local resources and improve local services.
Support to Sustainable Agriculture in Cuba
01.01.2013
- 31.03.2018
Food security is a priority of the Cuban authorities. Supporting a more productive and sustainable agriculture (economically and environmentally) is aligned with the objectives of the Cuban socio-economic reform. The project aims at supporting three organic value chains (honey, fruits and vegetables) in nine municipalities. It will demonstrate the role of organic production as a catalyst in local development and for the improvement in the quality of life of women and men.
Gestión participativa local en la gestión del Centro Histórico - GEPAC
01.07.2012
- 30.11.2018
El programa se enfoca hacia el perfeccionamiento de herramientas de gestión local de la Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana OHCH, fortaleciendo instrumentos de participación ciudadana en la toma de decisiones y de apoyo a pequeños emprendimientos privados y cooperativos. La experiencia funciona como un laboratorio de prácticas que pueden ser extendidas a la gestión municipal para favorecer el proceso de descentralización y de impulso al desarrollo local en curso en Cuba.
