Private Sector Development and financial services

The private sector has a key role in transition countries. © SDC/Suzanne Linder

Unemployment and underemployment remain the most serious development problems facing partner countries of the SDC. Only if people have access to productive, reasonably paid employment that enables them to earn an income, can global poverty be sustainably reduced and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) be achieved.

SDC is committed to approaches and methods for economic development that promote socially and ecologically sustainable economic growth and involve in particular the poor disadvantaged segments of the population – whether as employees, producers or consumers.

Links

The BEAM Exchange

Partnerships with the private sector

Focal Point for Food Security

Current projects

An attractive labour market for young Kosovars

A young man working on an electrical system.

01.01.2017 - 31.12.2020

The project « Enhancing Youth Employment » is aimed at improving job opportunities for young people in Kosovo, a population segment particularly impacted by unemployment. By connecting employers and job seekers, and by training young people in the skills in demand on the labour market, the project is helping to reduce unemployment and drive economic growth.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Kosovo	Economy and Employment Labor market development EDUCATION OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES Vocational training Employment policy and administrative management	01.01.2017 - 31.12.2020	CHF 7'570'000

Forging a common «Nile culture» through music and academic training

01.05.2015 - 31.10.2019

To make the Nile Basin a common ground and shared ecosystem for the inhabitants of the eleven countries through which the Nile River flows, the SDC supports the innovative musical and educational Nile Project. The project brings together artists, students and concerned citizens. A series of acclaimed concerts has taken place since 2013; at the same time, students are developing initiatives to foster a better use of water resources.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Egypt	Economy and Employment Education Migration Rule of Law - Democracy - Human rights Education Environment Rule of Law - Democracy - Human rights Economy and Employment Culture Disaster Risk Reduction – Preparedness Education policy Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Environment protection Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Vocational training and skills development Access to information incl. support to media and ICT Mitigation of the effects of climate change Culture Human rights (incl. Women's rights) Migration generally (development aspects and partnerships) Protection and access EDUCATION GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY HUMANITARIAN AID EDUCATION GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY BUSINESS & OTHER SERVICES INDUSTRY GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HUMANITARIAN AID Education policy and administrative management Women's equality organisations and institutions Culture and recreation Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Disaster prevention and preparedness Vocational training Public sector policy and administrative management Business support services and institutions Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Environmental policy and administrative management Promotion of development awareness (non-sector allocable) Human rights Women's equality organisations and institutions Culture and recreation Information and communication technology (ICT) Biosphere protection Material relief assistance and services	01.05.2015 - 31.10.2019	CHF 750'000

From Education to Employment (E2E)

A young woman at a computer regulating machines.

01.04.2015 - 31.12.2019

Serbia, which is currently negotiating accession to the European Union (EU), must undergo reforms to meet the criteria that apply to EU member states. Unemployment among young people is currently 27,5% and is a major concern for the Serbian government. Serbia wants to base the reform of its vocational training system on the success factors of the Swiss system of dual education and training and has invited Switzerland to assist it in this crucially important reform process.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Serbia	Economy and Employment Vocational training and skills development Labor market development EDUCATION OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES Vocational training Employment policy and administrative management	01.04.2015 - 31.12.2019	CHF 8'010'000

Livestock Development in the South of Armenia

01.09.2014 - 31.08.2020

In the provinces of Syunik and Vayots Dzor in southern Armenia, the agricultural sector mostly comprises subsistence farming where farmers are barely able to support their households. This project aims to help farmers increase their milk and meat production, and thus their incomes, by supporting local veterinary services (to improve animal health), facilitating access to milk and meat markets, and promoting the sharing of know-how among farmers.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Armenia	Economy and Employment Agriculture value-chain development Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Agricultural production (incl. management of natural resources) MULTISECTOR or CROSS-CUTTING INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, FISHING Rural development Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development Agricultural development	01.09.2014 - 31.08.2020	CHF 10'000'000

Programme for Supporting Decentralised Management of Literacy in Benin (PAGEDA)

An adult literacy centre in a Fulani camp in the village of Goure Bene, municipality of Nikki, Borgou, 2014

01.01.2014 - 30.09.2020

The programme for supporting the decentralised management of literacy services in Benin (PAGEDA) aims to provide high-quality literacy programmes that will enable 30,000 people (50-50 gender split, with most aged 15-30), who are excluded from or have no access to the formal education system, to acquire life skills and fully exercise their rights. The programme also aims to address gender, age and regional disparities in relation to access to education.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Benin	Economy and Employment Non-formal basic education (including youth and adults life skills and literacy) Vocational training and skills development Labor market development EDUCATION EDUCATION OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES Basic life skills for youth and adults Vocational training Employment policy and administrative management	01.01.2014 - 30.09.2020	CHF 6'320'000

lncreasing Market Employability in North Macedonia

Biljana, co-founder of The Good Earth organic cooperative, holding a basket of organic fruit and vegetables.

01.11.2013 - 31.07.2019

Unemployment in North Macedonia is particularly high, especially among young people and women, and a large segment of the population lives in poverty. That is why Switzerland is involved in developing business growth and improving the quality of products and services by helping SMEs in certain sectors of the economy.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Macedonia	Economy and Employment Labor market development OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES Employment policy and administrative management	01.11.2013 - 31.07.2019	CHF 7'500'000

Economic prospects for young people in rural areas

Farmers are being trained on the vertical tomatoes planting techniques which double their production. ©DDC

01.01.2013 - 31.05.2019

The SDC project in rural Aswan Governorate in Egypt aims to improve the economic prospects of local young men and women. The SDC promotes enterprises in the agricultural, livestock breeding and fisheries sectors to create new jobs and provide young people with an alternative to migrating to urban centres.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Egypt	Agriculture and Food Security Education Economy and Employment Labor market development Agriculture value-chain development Vocational training and skills development Agriculture value-chain development Vocational training and skills development OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, FISHING EDUCATION AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, FISHING MULTISECTOR or CROSS-CUTTING EDUCATION MULTISECTOR or CROSS-CUTTING Employment policy and administrative management Agricultural services Vocational training Agricultural development Agricultural services Rural development Vocational training Rural development	01.01.2013 - 31.05.2019	CHF 5'020'000

Local Economic Development (LED) Project

01.02.2020 - 30.09.2029

Small and medium entrepreneurs, their employees, and citizens will benefit from inclusive economic growth and equitable employment generation. Public and private sector actors will engage in joint local economic strategizing, planning and implementation. The improved framework conditions for inclusive business will result in more jobs, economic empowerment and ultimately increased sustainable income and well-being; particularly of the poor and disadvantaged.

Making Markets Work for the Chars (M4C) in Northern Bangladesh (Phase II)

01.02.2017 - 31.12.2019

Women and men living on riverine islands will increase the productivity of their farms as a result of better access to quality inputs and services, processing and output markets. The 25’000 benefitting farm households are likely to invest additional income into the diversification of their farm businesses and basic needs. This will result in reduced poverty and vulnerability of men and women on riverine islands and an increase in their well-being.

African Risk Capacity (ARC)

01.12.2016 - 31.08.2019

The African Risk Capacity is a specialised agency of the African Union to help African countries improve their capacities to better respond to extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, therefore protecting the food security of their populations. It uses modern finance mechanisms such as risk pooling to create pan-African climate response systems. SDC co-finances the expansion of this insurance scheme to new countries, including the development of contingency plans that will allow insurance pay-outs to countries in case of drought or floods related catastrophes.

Phasing out - Enhancing Youth Employability in the Gaza Strip –Phase II

01.12.2016 - 31.05.2019

The project aims at supporting the development of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector in Gaza responding to the labour market needs and aligning to the national TVET strategy in order to improve youth employability. This second and final phase will focus on consolidating the achievements of phase one through the institutionalization of the Centre of Competence concept, enhanced involvement of the private sector and systematic technical cooperation between West Bank and Gaza and among stakeholders active in the TVET sector in Gaza.

Cultural Programme Tanzania (CPT)

01.09.2016 - 31.12.2019

This programme uses a comprehensive approach to promote local culture and livelihood opportunities for young artists, and for social cohesion. It aims to do so through institutional and specific projects’ support. The programme is in alignment with SDC’s Culture and Development Policy that supports devoting a minimum of 1% of SDC’s operational budget in a country to initiatives in the local artistic and culture sector.

Start of page
Last update 01.06.2018

Private Sector Development and financial services

Links

Current projects

The FDFA worldwide

News

Activities and Projects

Themes

Results and impact

Partnerships and mandates

Publications and services

The SDC