North Africa

Libya

Marocco

Tunesien

Egypt

Arab uprising – Switzerland’s support in North Africa

The Humanitarian Aid of the Swiss Confederation responded rapidly to the crisis in Libya, sending emergency relief teams to Tunisia and Egypt to support people fleeing the conflict in the country. Switzerland will monitor the changes taking place in North Africa in the medium and long terms with a new interdepartmental programme that the SDC will implement together with the Directorate of Political Affairs and the Directorate of International Law of the FDFA, the Federal Office of Migration and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Switzerland is working closely with national and international partners in these countries.

On 11 March 2011, the Federal Council decided on the main thrust of Switzerland’s commitment. In addition to humanitarian aid, Switzerland will provide support in the following three areas: transition to democracy; economic development and job creation; migration and the protection of people in need. A total of CHF 60 million has already been made available for the years 2011 and 2012. Projects are being developed in Tunisia and Egypt, and, in a second stage, in Morocco where the SDC has already been present for many years, as well as in Libya and Algeria depending on developments in these countries. New Swiss programme offices are being set up in close cooperation with the Swiss Embassies in Cairo and Tunis.

Current projects
The Swiss Humanitarian Aid programmes launched before the “Arab spring” continue as before: In Morocco, the SDC is supporting stranded migrants from countries south of the Sahara who in some cases are living in very precarious conditions. The situation of the Sahrawi refugees in the Algerian desert remains unsolved; the refugees will continue to need help until a solution is found. In addition, Switzerland is supporting the Moroccan authorities and civil society actors with the provision disaster relief supplies. The heavily populated region north of the Atlas Mountains is especially vulnerable to natural hazards such as earthquakes and flooding.

Additional Information and Documents

Here, you will find more publications, links, documents and articles about Swiss development cooperation and humanitarian aid in this region.