G/AG/N/CHE/85  
27 February  2018 
(18-1263) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  9 February 2 018, 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 2016 . 
 
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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/85  
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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 2016  
______________________________________________________________________________  
 
1  QUANTITY OF FOOD AID PROVIDED TO LEAST -DEVELOPED AND NET 
FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
Switzerland has been a contracting party to the Food Assistance Convention since 2013 . 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  from approximately CHF 50  million  
in 2008 to CHF 66.7 million  in 2016 . 
 
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 eme rgency 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 . For the period 2013 to 2016, the Swiss Parliament approved a credit of  
CHF 20 million per year for the purchase of Swiss dairy products in kind for the most vulnerable 
populations . Swiss donations of dairy products are distributed by Swiss NGOs and the World Food 
Programme, for example in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Sudan . 
 
Food aid is not allocated 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 
instead allocated in accordance with the following cr iteria: 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  
All Swiss food aid is provided on fully grant terms . 
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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 dev elopment 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 living of their people, 
strengthening their capacity to assume greater re sponsibility and ensuring their development by 
their own means . 
 
Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.51 billion  in 2016 and saw 
an average annual increase of 3.3% over the period 2015-2016. This increase was directly due t o 
the significant  rise (+42%) in ODA expenditure associated with asylum costs  in Switzerland (an 
additional CHF 202  million  compared to 2015) . Not counting asylum costs, ODA decreased by 3 % 
between 2015 and  2016.  
 
A number of federal departments, cantons and communes are involved in funding Swiss ODA, 
while two federal offices are responsible for planning and implementing international cooperation 
activities : the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and  the Economic 
Cooperation and Development Division of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) . The 
SDC is responsible for humanitarian aid and, in concert with the SECO, for cooperation with the 
South as well as with Eastern  Europe and  CIS countr ies. 
 
3.2  Technical and financial assistance to developing countries  
The SDC is responsible for the general 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 nine subject 
areas . It tailors priorities to the requirements of its 20 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) mu ltilateral 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, water 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, during 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 Aid 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 organizations . 
The SDC also supports non -governmental humanitarian organizations working in the field . G/AG/N/CHE/85  
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  Table 1 - Funds allocated to LDCs and NFIDCs for food and nutrition assistance (in CHF ) 
Country  In cash1,2 In kind  Total2 
Afghanistan  1,489,469  0 1,489,469  
Algeria  477,528  2,399,641  2,877,169  
Angola  0 0 0 
Bolivia  0 0 0 
Burkina Faso  0 755,015  755,015  
Burundi  0 468,849  468,849  
Cabo Verde, Republic of  0 0 0 
Cameroon  399,597  88,868  488,465  
Central African Republic  292,899  0 292,899  
Chad 2,217,721  188,024  2,405,745  
Colombia  1,523,009  0 1,523,009  
Congo, Democratic Republic of the  1,489,469  0 1,489,469  
Côte d'Ivoire  0 522,340  522,340  
Cuba 0 597,227  597,227  
Djibouti  277 220,153  220,430  
Ethiopia  2,184,554  0 2,184,554  
Guinea  0 24,648  24,648  
Haiti 2,723,252  737,599  3,460,851  
Indonesia  0 0 0 
Iraq 1,191,575  0 1,191,575  
Kenya  0 0 0 
Lebanon  0 25,857  25,857  
Lesotho  1,017,472  0 1,017,472  
Madagascar  1,703,726  2,050,616  3,754,342  
Mali 844,032  60 844,092  
Myanmar  2,085,984  0 2,085,984  
Nepal  0 0 0 
Nicaragua  -6,984  994,756  987,772  
Niger  3,933,596  0 3,933,596  
Nigeria  505,618  0 505,618  
North Korea  480,046  7,517,230  7,997,275  
Occupied Palestinian territories  1,489,469  0 1,489,469  
Office for the Middle East and Eastern Europe  1,141,660  0 1,141,660  
Office for West Africa  3,393,780  0 3,393,780  
Pakistan  928,301  0 928,301  
Rwanda  166,904  0 166,904  
Senegal  0 189,113  189,113  
Somalia  4,119,194  0 4,119,194  
South Africa  0 0 0 
South Sudan  4,693,027  198,581  4,891,608  
Sudan  1,503,998  930,877  2,434,845  
Syrian Arab Republic  2,986,517  0 2,986,517  
Tanzania  49,848  79,668  129,516  
Togo 0 196,572  196,572  
Uganda  104,434  0 104,434  G/AG/N/CHE/85  
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  Country  In cash1,2 In kind  Total2 
Ukraine  0 79,902  79,902  
Yemen  1,390,171  0 1,390,171  
Zimbabwe  57,439  120,077  177,516  
Total2 46,577,582  18,375,601  64,953,183  
Source : World Food Programme (WFP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC )/ 
31 August 2 017. 
1 Figures converted from US dollars into Swiss francs on the basis of the average exchange rate for 
2016 according to the IMF (US$1 = CHF 0.99). 
2 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, e nsure that payments are not recorded more than once . 
 
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