Ongoing and past armed conflicts have led to extensive humanitarian needs in the Middle East. Switzerland is supporting delivery of aid and services to protect people affected by violence and is actively involved in peace promotion and the prevention of violent conflicts. It also works to ensure sustainable water management, quality education and income creation for refugees, internally displaced people, vulnerable migrants and host communities in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.
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Swiss Business Hub |
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The Middle East remains at the centre of attention of international and Switzerland’s engagement. Present and past conflicts have led to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL). Since 2011, the Syria crisis has affected the lives of at least 12 million people. More than 5.5 million Syrians are registered as refugees in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq) and 6 million are yet internally displaced. The number of returns is very low. In addition, about half a million people have been killed and countless are missing or detained. Iraq is transitioning from an emergency to a recovery phase. Nevertheless, about 1.6 million people remain internally displaced and almost 7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The protracted situation continues to overstretch the capacity of hosting communities and governments.
The overarching aim of Switzerland in the Middle East is to create a safe environment for conflict-affected and other vulnerable persons by saving lives and empowering community, reducing fragility and generating development perspective. At policy level, it promotes good governance as well as the respect of international human rights, including refugee rights, and international humanitarian law. It also supports conflict prevention and transformation.
Swiss Bilateral ODA |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 * |
|---|---|---|---|
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) |
|
|
|
Bilateral development cooperation |
9.36 |
2.04 |
11.80 |
Humanitarian aid |
71.82 |
68.10 |
55.28 |
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) |
|
|
|
Economic Cooperation and Development |
0.11 |
0.36 |
0.22 |
Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) |
|
|
|
Conflict transformation and human rights |
5.78 |
6.71 |
6.12 |
Total SDC/SECO/PHRD |
87.07 |
77.21 |
73.42 |
Other Federal Offices |
|
|
|
Other FDFA Divisions (ASAF, AIO, aso) |
0.12 |
0.21 |
.. |
Network of FDFA representations abroad |
5.27 |
5.22 |
.. |
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) |
2.08 |
2.13 |
.. |
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) |
0.49 |
0.41 |
.. |
MeteoSwiss |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) |
- |
- |
.. |
Federal Statistical Office (FSO) |
- |
- |
- |
Total other Federal Offices |
7.96 |
7.97 |
- |
Cantons and municipalities |
0.70 |
.. |
.. |
Total |
95.73 |
85.18 |
73.42 |
* planned; total based on available data
** excluding multilateral contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Protection and Migration
Protection for conflict-affected and vulnerable persons in Syria
In Syria, the ongoing-armed conflict has forced over 6 million people to leave their place of origin and forcefully move within their own country. On average, people have been displaced two or three times since the onset of the crisis, increasing their vulnerability. These especially vulnerable people are in need of housing, water, education and other services. Switzerland is supporting vulnerable households in addressing these basic needs including livelihoods, through cash assistance and training.
Disaster risk reduction, emergency relief, reconstruction and protection
Water, Hygiene and Sanitation
Improved access to water and sanitation in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Lebanon hosts more than a million Syrian refugees. As a result, the pressure on natural resources such as water is very high. In the Bekaa valley, bordering Syria, SDC supports local water authorities managing the water and wastewater monitoring system. SDC works with the Bekaa Water establishment to provide clean and safe water to host communities and Syrian refugees living in the valley.
Education and Income
Strengthen quality and foster inclusive education systems
Conflicts and displacements have put additional pressure on already fragile local economies. Switzerland’s engagement aims to reduce the economic impact by facilitating equitable access to both education and income. Through the strengthening of national education capacities, it aims to improve the learning of children, contribute to reach their education potential and foster the completion of compulsory education. Through supporting income-generating opportunities and the private sector as well as promoting legal frameworks for a decent income, it aims to improve prospects for equally women’s and men’s livelihoods. By an including host communities and refugees in the education and income, the approach aims to strengthen social cohesion and prevent further violence.
Education and vocational skills development
Peace Promotion and Conflict Prevention
Supporting conditions for peace and reconciliation
Switzerland aims to address root causes of violence and preventing violent conflicts. It also works towards peace through the restoration of relationships and social systems serving the needs of the whole population as well as the resolution of conflicts. Switzerland supports these efforts through processes including state and non-state actors at community or national level and through working on legal and political frameworks.
Approach and partners
The drivers of protracted conflicts in the Middle East and their interrelationships require a regional response. With a “Whole of Government Approach”, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD), and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) work in close cooperation to achieve the objectives of Switzerland’s international cooperation in the region.
SDC’s engagement focuses on four action lines:
- cash and in-kind contributions to humanitarian and development organisations,
- direct action,
- secondments of technical experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) to UN organisations and
- the promotion of international coordination and humanitarian diplomacy.
PHRD support consists of providing expertise to multilateral and national actors through secondments via the FDFA’s Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding or its in-house experts, facilitating and hosting dialogues and building capacities directly or via NGOs, technical and other financial support to international and national NGOs.
Switzerland's key partners in the region are:
- national and local actors in the countries concerned
- international organisations: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), etc.
- multilateral organisations: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, United Nationals Development Programme (UNDP) etc.
- local civil society organisations
- international and Swiss NGOs: Terre des hommes and MEDAIR, among others
Links
Documents
Current projects
Selection
Object 1 – 3 of 3
- 1
Contribution to UNRWA's Programme Budget 2023-2024
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNRWA is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners in the Middle East, due to its important contributions towards stability and peace in the region and its role in providing services and humanitarian assistance to people in need. Under its Programme Budget, UNRWA ensures universal access to quality primary health care and to basic education to 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. It also provides targeted relief and social services to vulnerable refugees.
Contribution to UNHCR Programme Budget 2023-2024 (earmarked)
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNHCR is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners due to its unique mandate by the General Assembly of United Nations to provide protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees, and stateless persons. The strategic direction 2022-26 concretise the overall mandate of UNHCR for the upcoming years. Contributing to these directions allows Switzerland to achieve in particular the human development goal defined in the Dispatch to Parliament on International Cooperation for 2021-24.
SYR iMMAP - Information Management Resource Center
01.05.2017
- 31.12.2017
Object 1 – 3 of 3
- 1
Selection
Object 1 – 10 of 10
- 1
Sanitation Solutions for underserved Communities in Jordan
01.06.2023
- 31.05.2026
Switzerland will build a decentralised wastewater treatment plant in Azraq. Proven Swiss know-how in wastewater management will be applied to increase the efficiency of the treatment plant and to demonstrate how wastewater can be converted into physical and financial resources. The chosen approach for reducing freshwater consumption in agriculture by replacing it with safely treated waste water, in one of the most water-scarce countries, will be promoted based on the implementation of this flagship project.
Enhancing Protection and Justice for Vulnerable Children and Youth in Jordan
01.02.2023
- 31.12.2025
Children are among the most affected by multiple crisis in Jordan. The holistic child protection intervention proposed by Terre des hommes (Tdh) addresses and responds to the complex and intertwined protection needs of the most vulnerable children and youth in Jordan. It links quality of services with institutionalcapacity building and advocacy, thereby fostering a right-based and more sustainable child protection system and addressing hindering social norms in a comprehensive way.
JOR Medair: Social protection program towards improving resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2025
The project initiates a third phase during which Medair Jordan will continue to reach new households in Amman, Irbid and Mafraq with case management and cash for protection, including emergency cash assistance, while focusing on livelihoods solutions to improve the resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. The project will also build and strengthen the institutional capacities of local actors to provide social protection services through coordination and experience and knowledge exchange.
Contribution to UNRWA's Programme Budget 2023-2024
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNRWA is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners in the Middle East, due to its important contributions towards stability and peace in the region and its role in providing services and humanitarian assistance to people in need. Under its Programme Budget, UNRWA ensures universal access to quality primary health care and to basic education to 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. It also provides targeted relief and social services to vulnerable refugees.
Contribution to UNHCR Programme Budget 2023-2024 (earmarked)
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNHCR is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners due to its unique mandate by the General Assembly of United Nations to provide protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees, and stateless persons. The strategic direction 2022-26 concretise the overall mandate of UNHCR for the upcoming years. Contributing to these directions allows Switzerland to achieve in particular the human development goal defined in the Dispatch to Parliament on International Cooperation for 2021-24.
Water Management and Livelihoods for Underserved Communities in Jordan
01.04.2022
- 31.03.2024
Jordan has attempted to implement water and agricultural management systems and policies in urban areas to face the challenge of limited natural resources. In Zubarieya Village, the community has created an environment where they manage their own ecosystems through a community-based approach. This project will focus on improving and maintaining the water supply system, and support local governance system to ensure proper water management and agriculture systems, protect groundwater and soil, and facilitate sustainable livelihoods.
Strengthening Social Protection in Jordan
01.08.2020
- 31.12.2021
Switzerland's contribution to this multi-donor project will provide social assistance to Jordanians households which are unable to meet their basic needs, including as a result of COVID-19, and at the same time support the institutional reform process of Jordan's social protection system. Switzerland will contribute to the reform process of the National Aid Fund to make it more effective, inclusive, accountable and sustainable. This first phase orient Switzerland’s engagement in upcoming phases which will be manly focussed on the institutional reform process.
Decent Work for Migrants in the Middle East
15.07.2019
- 30.06.2023
This program contributes to decent work opportunities for migrants and refugees in the Middle East which is one of the largest migrant hosting regions globally due to economic demands and displacement from conflict. It complements the focus on Asian migrants with migrants from Africa and seek closer partnership with the private sector. Due to its relevant expertise and experience in decent work and fair recruitment, Switzerland is well placed to contribute to an improved protection and an enhanced wellbeing of migrant workers and self-reliance for refugees, to maximize the productive potential of migration, and to counter irregular and unsafe migration.
Relief International: Providing educational opportunities for Syrian refugees in Za’atari and Azraq camps
01.01.2019
- 31.08.2020
SDC’s contribution will help to maintain essential education services provided by Relief International (RI) for Syrian refugee children and youth in Za’atari and Azraq camps especially after the drastic funding cuts announced by UNICEF in June 2018. The project contributes to retain school-aged refugee children in the formal education system by providing support through: 1) Remedial Education services for in-school children with learning difficulties and 2) the certified drop-out programme for out-of-school children who can only go back to school if they complete the programme.
JOR, Governance Study for the Water, Sanitation and Energy Infrastructure in Syrian Refugee Camps (Za'atari & Azraq)
01.08.2017
- 31.07.2018
Object 1 – 10 of 10
- 1
Selection
Object 1 – 2 of 2
- 1
Contribution to UNHCR Programme Budget 2023-2024 (earmarked)
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNHCR is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners due to its unique mandate by the General Assembly of United Nations to provide protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees, and stateless persons. The strategic direction 2022-26 concretise the overall mandate of UNHCR for the upcoming years. Contributing to these directions allows Switzerland to achieve in particular the human development goal defined in the Dispatch to Parliament on International Cooperation for 2021-24.
IRQ Oxfam – Integrated WASH and Protection response to conflict affected communities in Diyala governorate
01.09.2017
- 28.02.2020
A majority of people living in rural northern Diyala do not have access to potable water which results in communities utilizing unsafe sources like rivers and irrigation channels. The lack of solid waste management systems further aggravates the poor health conditions within this area. This project aims at reducing water and sanitation related risks and increasing access to clean water for IDPs, returnees and host communities living in the districts of Kifri and Khanaqin. It also helps particularly vulnerable families access protection services.
Object 1 – 2 of 2
- 1
Selection
Object 1 – 7 of 7
- 1
Contribution to UNRWA's Programme Budget 2023-2024
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNRWA is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners in the Middle East, due to its important contributions towards stability and peace in the region and its role in providing services and humanitarian assistance to people in need. Under its Programme Budget, UNRWA ensures universal access to quality primary health care and to basic education to 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. It also provides targeted relief and social services to vulnerable refugees.
Contribution to UNHCR Programme Budget 2023-2024 (earmarked)
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2024
UNHCR is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners due to its unique mandate by the General Assembly of United Nations to provide protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees, and stateless persons. The strategic direction 2022-26 concretise the overall mandate of UNHCR for the upcoming years. Contributing to these directions allows Switzerland to achieve in particular the human development goal defined in the Dispatch to Parliament on International Cooperation for 2021-24.
LEB Access and Quality Education for refugee and vulnerable host community children
01.10.2021
- 30.09.2024
The education sector in Lebanon is facing multiple crises, leading to the discontinuity of learning for many children. Switzerland’s contribution to Plan International and Save the Children will provide children in the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel governorates with improved access to and retention in quality, safe and inclusive education. The project follows a triple nexus approach by considering immediate humanitarian needs and aiming at the reintegration of out-of-school children while fostering social cohesion in a context of mounting tensions.
Explosion Beirut-Support to Education Sector
01.09.2020
- 31.08.2021
The project is a direct action to support the rehabilitation and renovation of public schools that were damaged by the 4th August blast in Beirut. The schools selected for the direct action are located in diverse neighbourhoods, with a particular focus on schools serving vulnerable populations of all nationalities and religious backgrounds (including refugees). The direct action is a contribution to the rehabilitation effort coordinated by the Ministry of education and the UN.
Decent Work for Migrants in the Middle East
15.07.2019
- 30.06.2023
This program contributes to decent work opportunities for migrants and refugees in the Middle East which is one of the largest migrant hosting regions globally due to economic demands and displacement from conflict. It complements the focus on Asian migrants with migrants from Africa and seek closer partnership with the private sector. Due to its relevant expertise and experience in decent work and fair recruitment, Switzerland is well placed to contribute to an improved protection and an enhanced wellbeing of migrant workers and self-reliance for refugees, to maximize the productive potential of migration, and to counter irregular and unsafe migration.
Small Actions Credit Line (Quick Impact)
01.03.2019
- 31.12.2022
The Small Actions Credit Line (Quick Impact) is a humanitarian instrument of the Swiss Embassy's cooperation office that allows a fast response to requests for moderate one-time funding of limited duration. It enables the Embassy's cooperation office in Lebanon to fund small scale development or humanitarian activities that addresses needs of refugees, IDPs, vulnerable migrants or communities at risk, supports the strategic strengthening of the portfolio of the Swiss Cooperation Strategy Middle East and which contribute to the visibility of Swiss presence in the region.
LEB – Improved Water Resources Monitoring and Integrated Water Resources Management in the North of Lebanon
01.07.2017
- 31.05.2022
For over five years now, the Syria crisis is continuing to affect middle-income neighbouring countries. As a result, Lebanon hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. The weak governance of the Government has been worsened with the burden of the refugees from Syria and Palestine who use the same overstretched infrastructure and public services. The project aims at enabling the water authorities to better manage the water sector for the benefit of the vulnerable communities in the North of the country.
Object 1 – 7 of 7
- 1
