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50th anniversary:SDC 1961 - 2011
In its anniversary year 2011, the SDC held 75 events in 15 cantons under the motto"50Years of SDC– “ More than Aid."

Abendveranstaltung vom 29.März im Käfigturm

Photo gallery of the events
Publications on the anniversary
 

History of the SDC

Multimedia History

Multimedia History (Flash)

Milestones and impressions from Swiss Development Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Cooperation with Eastern Europe since 1944 until today.


Chronology

1996 - today Renaming: DEHZO to Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC/DEZA), reason: shorter and more simple.

SDC becomes the swiss center of excellence in development cooperation:

  • Development Cooperation, Cooperation with Eastern Europe and Humanitarian Aid organisationally united
  • Expansion of cooperation with multilateral institutions like UNO or World Bank
Increase of cooperation with other Federal Offices, particularly with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.
1995 Integration of the Division for the Cooperation with Eastern Europe into the DCA(DEH).
Further renaming: The DCA (DEH) is called Directorate of Development and Technical Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid for Central and Eastern Europe (DEHZO).
1990 Start of Switzerland's cooperation with Eastern Europe
The EPD sets up the Division for the Cooperation with Eastern Europe („Büro für die Zusammenarbeit mit Osteuropa”).
1976 Federal law on International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid comes into effect.
  • Fusion of the Service (Delegate) for Technical Cooperation DftZ and the section for Disaster Assistance and International Relief Organisations ("Sektion für Katastrophenhilfe und internationale Hilfswerke").
  • Renaming of the DftZ into Directorate of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DCA) („Direktion für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und humanitäre Hilfe DEH“)
1973 Creation of the Swiss Corps for Humanitarian Aid (Schweizerischen Korps für humanitäre Hilfe SKH)
1968 First Cooperation Office in India
1961 This service has been renamed service for technical cooperation ("Dienst für technische Zusammenarbeit DftZ"). The service is directorated by the diplomat Hans Keller, nominated as first Federal Council's delegate for technical cooperation ( „Delegierten des Bundesrats für technische Zusammenarbeit“.
1960 The Federal Council establishs the service for technical assistance ("Dienst für techische Hilfe")
1950 Switzerland supports the „ Expanded Program of Technical Assistance“ (EPTA) of the UNO and delegates first missions of development experts (swiss engineers) to countries in Asia and Latin America.
1944 On the end of the Second World War the Swiss Donation(in our days Swissaid) was founded, an association of serveral relief organisations supported by the Swiss Confederation.

 

Additional Information and Documents