RSI reports Swiss plan to end development cooperation in 13 countries from 2029
Published · Updated
What happened
Swiss public broadcaster RSI reported that Switzerland is preparing a development-policy reset under which, from 2029, bilateral development cooperation would end in 13 countries and the number of priority countries would fall from 34 to 21. According to the report, funding would be shifted toward humanitarian aid.
Why it matters
A reduction in priority countries changes where Switzerland keeps sustained field networks, political access and implementation capacity. Moving resources toward humanitarian aid can improve flexibility in acute crises, but it can also reduce longer-term leverage in partner countries where migration cooperation, mediation access or economic ties matter.
RSI reported in the past 24 hours that Switzerland plans to stop bilateral development cooperation in 13 countries from 2029 and reduce its list of priority states from 34 to 21, while shifting more resources toward humanitarian aid. The reported move amounts to a reallocation of external-policy instruments rather than a routine line-item adjustment, because it changes where Switzerland maintains long-term state-to-state presence. For Bern, the issue reaches beyond aid policy into diplomatic access, migration partnerships and the balance between crisis response and sustained influence.
Watch for
FDFA or SDC publication of a country list or strategy note specifying the 21 priority states by 2026-09-24 Federal Council agenda, communiqué or spokesperson confirmation on development-cooperation reallocations by 2026-09-24 Swiss parliamentary foreign affairs or finance committee notice opening consultation or requesting a briefing on the 2029 aid shift by 2026-09-24 No FDFA public rebuttal of the RSI figures by 2026-09-24
Sources
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