G/AG/N/CHE/ 105 
1 February  2021 
(21-0838) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  28 January  2021, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Switzerland . The 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 2019. 
 
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In accordance with the notification requirements within the framework of the Decision on Measures 
Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed and Net 
Food-Importing Countries ( Table NF:1 ), the following provides details of Switzerland's programmes 
in favour of such countries.  
  G/AG/N/CHE/ 105 
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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 9 
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1  QUANTITY OF FOOD A SSISTANCE  PROVIDED TO LEAST -DEVELOPED AND NET 
FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
Switzerland has been a contracting party to the Food Assistance Convention  (FAC)  since 201 2. Swiss 
food assistance consists of in -kind contributions  or cash transfers  for food aid distribution 
programmes, and, to a lesser extent, of dairy products partly o f Swiss origin . 
 
The provision of food assistance in emergency and chronic situations is one of the decisive ways in 
which the Swiss  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 keeping with the Zero Hunger Challenge of the Secretary -General o f 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 Programme (WFP) . Of all the UN programmes and  funds, 
the WFP re ceives the largest amount of Swiss humanitarian aid . In 2019, almost three quarters of 
Switzerland's food aid under the FAC, amounting to CHF 62.5 million, was implemented by  the WFP. 
The remaining quarter was allocated to NGOs (CHF 7.6 million),  to UNRWA ( CHF 3 million) and to a 
number of other UN partner organizations (CHF 4.1 million).   
 
Since 2018, Switzerland's support to the WFP has consisted of financial contributions . The end use 
of financial food aid is subject to  an annual contractual agree ment between Switzerland and the 
WFP. In 2019, in accordance with  this agreement , the WFP purchased skimmed milk powder of Swiss 
origin for food aid for Algeria and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . This product is 
distributed as a means of supple menting  diets and combatting chronic malnutrition , through school 
meal programmes  and in healthcare facilities , with a view to improv ing nutrition in emergency 
situations and in cases of severe malnutrition . Deliveries of dairy prod ucts of Swiss origin therefore 
help to prevent the mental and physical harm caused by malnutrition . 
 
Food aid is not determined  on the basis of the criteria of "least  developed countries" (LDCs) or "net  
food-importing developing countries" (NFIDCs) . Swiss funds for food  assistance operations are 
allocated in accordance with the following criteria : needs (populations affected, urgency and lack of 
funds), potential 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  
Swiss food aid is provided on fully grant terms . G/AG/N/CHE/ 105 
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  3  TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 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 development aid, Switzerland supports the 
work of developing countries with a view to improving the standard of liv ing of their people, 
strengthening their capacity to assume greater responsibility and ensuring their development by 
their own means . 
 
Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.08 billion  in 2019. 
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 with the States 
of Eastern Europe . Other federal offices, as well as the cantons and communes, are also involved in 
Switzerland's international cooperation.  
 
3.2  Technical cooperation and financial a id for developing countries  
The SDC is responsible for the general coordination of technical cooperation and financial aid for 
developing countries . The SDC's development cooperation is twofold : (i) bilateral cooperation w ith 
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 inequalit y. Economic development 
is based on cooperation with specialized international organizations . 
 
3.3  Cooperation with Eastern Europe  
The cooperation with Eastern Europe spearheaded by the SDC and the SECO seeks to support the 
Western Balkans and the former Soviet Union countries on the path towards democracy and the 
social market economy . It contribute s to the political and economic reform processes in the fields of 
public administration and services, healthcare, water and energy supply, vocational training geared 
towards the labour market, and promotion of the private sector . 
 
3.4  SDC h umanitarian aid  
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 under the Food Assistance Convention (FAC) 
Country  In cash In kind  Total  
Afghanistan  1,000,000  0 1,000,000  
Algeria1 2,000,000  0 2,000,000  
Bangladesh  812,187  0 812,187  
Burkina Faso  3,052,750  0 3,052,750  
Cameroon  1,000,000  0 1,000,000  
Central African Republic  2,052,000  0 2,052,000  G/AG/N/CHE/ 105 
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  Country  In cash In kind  Total  
Central America  200,000 0 200,000 
Chad 1,592,100  0 1,592,100  
Colombia  1,500,000  0 1,500,000  
Costa Rica  0 0 0 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea1 6,000,000  0 6,000,000  
Democratic Republic of the Congo  2,774,489  0 2,774,489  
Ethiopia  1,551,355  0 1,551,355  
Global (several countries)  12,001,050  0 12,001,050  
Haiti 1,500,000  0 1,500,000  
Iraq 500,000  0 500,000  
Kenya  58,382  0 58,382  
Lebanon  1,000,000  0 1,000,000  
Madagascar  400,000  0 400,000  
Malawi  200,000  200,000  
Mali 2,740,000  0 2,740,000  
Mozambique  1,100,000   1,100,000  
Myanmar  2,796,592  0 2,796,592  
Nicaragua  1,000,000   1,000,000  
Niger  1,084,078  0 1,084,078  
Nigeria  2,725,000  0 2,725,000  
Occupied Palestinian Territories  5,500,000  0 5,500,000  
Pakistan  600,000  0 600,000  
Panama  59,067   59,067  
Somalia  2,250,000  0 2,250,000  
South Sudan  5,682,206  0 5,682,206  
Sudan  3,750,000  0 3,750,000  
Syrian Arab Republic  3,064,838  0 3,064,838  
Yemen  5,000,000  0 5,000,000  
Zimbabwe  700,000   700,000  
Total 77,246,094 0 77,246,094  
Source : SDC. 
1 For Algeria and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, where WFP programmes rely partly on the 
distribution of skimmed  milk powder to combat chronic malnutrition, the WFP purchase d this powder 
in Switzerland.  
 
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