G/AG/N/CHE/86 /Rev.1  
24 June 2019  
(19-4257) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Revision  
The following submission, dated  19 June  2019, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Switzerland . The revised notification concerns actions taken within the framework of the Decision 
on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed 
and Net Food -Importing Developing Countries ( Table NF:1 ) for the calendar  year 2017. 
 
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The following revised notification replaces the version circulated on 30 August  2018 under symbol  
G/AG/N/CHE/86. The revised information includes  update d data in Table 1 in order to accurately 
reflect  the current period , as well as amendments to paragraphs  3 and 4 in the first part of the 
document . 
 
  G/AG/N/ CHE/86 /Rev.1  
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  Table NF:1  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 16:2 OF THE AGREEMENT: MONITORING OF THE 
FOLLOW -UP TO THE DECISION ON MEASURES CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE  
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM PROGRAMME ON LEAST -DEVELOPED  
AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: SWITZERLAND  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEAR 201 7 
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1  QUANTITY OF FOOD AID PROVIDED TO LEAST -DEVELOPED AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING 
DEVELOPING COUNTRI ES 
Switzerland has been a contracting party to the Food Assistance Convention since 201 2. Swiss food 
assistance consists of cash contributions and deliveries of dairy products of Swiss origin . 
 
The provision of food assistance in emergency and chronic situations is one of the decisive ways in 
which Switzerland's humanitarian mandate to save human lives and alleviate suffering is being 
implemented . By addressing world food security challenges, Switzerland demonstrates a global 
perspective that is in keep ing with the Zero Hunger Challenge of the Secretary -General of the 
United  Nations and the dual food security strategy . Food assistance is complemented by 
Switzerland's global advocacy efforts and its commitment to tackling the root causes of hunger, for 
example through support to agricultural research, promotion of small -scale farmers and reduction 
of post -harvest losses . 
 
In the area of food assistance, Switzerland works in close partnership with international 
organizations, in particular the World Food Pr ogramme (WFP) . Of all the UN programmes and  funds, 
the WFP receives the largest amount of Swiss humanitarian aid . The 2008 global food crisis prompted 
Switzerland to increa se its contributions to the WFP  significantly, from approximately CHF 50  million  
in 2008 to CHF 70 million  in 201 7. 
 
In-kind contributions consist of dairy products of Swiss origin . These are distributed in order to 
supplement diet, notably in the framework of school food projects and in healthcare facilities . The 
aim is to improve nutrition in emergency situations and cases of severe malnutrition . Deliveries of 
dairy products of Swiss origin therefore help to prevent the mental and physical harm caused by 
malnutrition . 
 
Food aid is not allocated on the basis of the criteria of "leas t developed countries" (LDCs) or "net  
food-importing developing countries" (NFIDCs) . Swiss funds for food assistance operations are 
instead allocated in accordance with the following criteria : needs (populations affected, urgency and 
lack of funds), potent ial synergies with other Swiss programmes, or the presence of  a 
Swiss  cooperation office . 
 
2  INDICATION OF THE PROPORTION IN FULLY GRANT FORM OR APPROPRIATE 
CONCESSIONAL TERMS  
All Swiss food aid is provided on fully grant terms . 
 
3  TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSI STANCE UNDER PARAGRAPH 3(III) OF THE DECISION  
3.1  Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA)  
The overall aim of Swiss international cooperation is to foster global sustainable development with 
a view to reducing poverty and global risks . Through its d evelopment aid, Switzerland supports the 
work of developing countries with a view to improving the standard of living of their people, 
strengthening their capacity to assume greater responsibility and ensuring their development by 
their own means . 
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  Switzer land's official development assistance (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.05 billion  in 2017, 
representing a decrease of 14% by comparison with 2016. Switzerland's ODA comes mainly from 
the budgets of the SDC  (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation ) and SECO ( Economic 
Cooperation and Development Division of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ), the two entities 
responsible for implementing the Federal Act on International Development Cooperation and 
Humanitarian Aid  and the Federal Act on Cooperation wit h the States of Eastern Europe . Other 
federal offices, as well as the cantons and some 200 communes, are also involved in Switzerland's 
international cooperation.  
 
3.2  Technical and financial assistance to developing countries  
The SDC is responsible for the ge neral coordination of technical and financial assistance to countries 
and regions of the South, namely the majority of low -income countries . The SDC organizes more 
than 800 development cooperation programmes and projects covering ten subject areas . It tailors 
priorities to the requirements of its 2 1 partner countries and regions in the South . With a view to 
attaining sustainable development, the SDC's work is underpinned by gender equality and good 
governance . The SDC's development cooperation is twofold : (i) bilateral cooperation with priority 
countries and regions, i.e. S tate bodies, civil society, private -sector players and research 
institutions ; and (ii) multilateral cooperation with UN agencies, international financial institutions 
and global networks and funds . 
 
The SECO implements the economic and trade policy measures related to development cooperation 
with middle -income countries in particular . Its main priority is to support sustainable economic, 
ecological and social growth, which helps to reduce poverty and inequality . Economic development 
is based on cooperation with specialized international organizations . 
 
3.3  Cooperation with countries in transition  
Through cooperation with the former socialist states in the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus 
and Central Asia, the SDC and SECO both lend their support to a sustainable transition towards 
democracy and the market economy . They contribute to the political and economic reform processes 
in the fields of public administration and services, healthcare, wa ter and energy supply, vocational 
training geared towards the labour market, and promotion of the private sector . 
 
3.4  Humanitarian aid and emergency assistance by the SDC  
The SDC's  humanitarian aid operations constitute an expression of solidarity by Switzerland towards 
groups of people in distress and are not subject to any geographic restrictions . The SDC works to 
protect the interests of vulnerable population groups before, durin g and after periods of conflict, 
crisis or natural disaster . Preventive and awareness -raising measures also play a key role in this 
respect . 
 
Swiss emergency assistance takes a number of forms : the mobilization of specialists from the 
Swiss  Humanitarian Ai d Unit (SHA) and other crisis units ; the distribution of food aid through 
Swiss  relief agencies and the World Food Programme (WFP) ; and the granting of financial support 
to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) activities and UN humanitarian orga nizations . 
The SDC also supports non -governmental humanitarian organizations working in the field . 
Table 1 – Funds allocated to LDCs and NFIDCs for food and nutrition assistance (CHF ) 
Country  In cash1 In kind  Total2 
Afghanistan  1,684,216 0 1,684,216  
Algeria  2,300,000  1,500,000 2,300,000  
Angola  0 0 0 
Bangladesh  2,000,000  0 2,000,000  
Bolivia , Plurinational State of  0 0 0 
Burkina Faso  0 892,085  892,085  
Burundi  26,654 546,243  572,897  
Cabo Verde, Republic of  0 0 0 
Cameroon  0 34,541 34,541 
Central African Republic  1,490,000  0 1,490,000  
Chad 1,000,000  177,786 1,177,786 G/AG/N/ CHE/86 /Rev.1  
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  Country  In cash1 In kind  Total2 
Colombia  1,261,170  0 1,261,170  
Congo, Democratic Republic of the  1,085,121 0 1,085,121  
Côte d'Ivoire  0 451,724 451,724 
Cuba 400,000  902,091 1,302,091  
Djibouti  0 0 0 
Ethiopia  3,000,000  0 3,000,000  
Guinea  0 26,250 26,250 
Haiti 2,225,157  1,290,595 3,515,752 
Indonesia  0 0 0 
Iraq 1,000,000  0 1,000,000  
Kenya  770,000  0 770,000  
Lebanon  26,207  25,991 52,198  
Madagascar  1,330,571 1,665,250 2,995,821 
Mali 1,500,000 0 1,500,000  
Myanmar  3,298,016 0 3,298,016  
Nepal  0 0 0 
Nicaragua  1,000,000  1,000,000 1,000,000  
Niger  1,247,518 0 1,247,518  
Nigeria  3,300,000  0 3,300,000  
North Korea  5,000,000  5,000,000  5,000,000  
Occupied Palestinian territories  2,200,000  0 2,200,000  
Office for Asia and the Pacific  150,494   150,494  
Office for the Middle East and Eastern Europe  884,123  0 884,123  
Office for West Africa  0 0 0 
Pakistan  774,234  500,000 774,234  
Rwanda  670,730   670,730  
Senegal  0 216,850 216,850 
Somalia  1,239,230 0 1,239,230  
South  Africa  1,400,000  0 1,400,000  
South Sudan  5,392,500  2,789,100 5,681,600  
Sudan  3,502,456  2,503,205 3,505,661 
Syrian Arab Republic  3,018,158  0 3,018,158  
Tanzania  0 92,133 92,133 
Togo 0 212,170 212,170 
Uganda  165,574 0 165,574  
Ukraine  0 54,275  54,275  
Yemen  4,500,000 0 4,500,000  
Zimbabwe  0 119,677 119,677 
WFP headquarters, Rome2 11,183,171   11,183,171  
Total1 70,025,300  19,999,965 77,025,265 
Source : World Food Programme (WFP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC )/ 
10 May 2019. 
1 In the context of certain projects, in -kind food aid is not paid in the same year as it is provided and 
the calculation of in -cash food aid may therefore give rise to negative figures. This method does, 
however, ensure that payments are not recorded more t han once . 
2 Amount used by the WFP for various projects and administrative purposes.  
 
4  OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS TAKEN WITHIN THE 
FRAMEWORK OF THE DECISION : 
 
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