Today, the Federal Council made the decision on aid to Ukraine that has been awaited for months: CHF 5 billion is to be made available for this purpose over the next twelve years. However, it failed to mention that Switzerland’s tried and tested development cooperation would be cut short in the process. From 2025, Ukraine would receive more money than all bilateral SDC programs in sub-Saharan Africa combined.
Media release from Alliance Sud, the development policy competence center supported by terre des hommes schweiz and other Swiss NGOs.
It is undisputed that extensive funds are needed for the reconstruction of Ukraine and that Switzerland must also make a substantial financial contribution to humanitarian aid and reconstruction. If the Federal Council has its way, Ukraine aid amounting to CHF 1.5 billion up to 2028 will be financed 100% from the international cooperation budget. This is completely unacceptable. In addition, the financing of the remaining CHF 3.5 billion has not yet been clarified. There is also a risk that this will be entirely at the expense of international cooperation.
Federal Council ignores consultation
75% of the consultation responses on the International Cooperation Strategy (IC) 2025-2028 demanded that aid to Ukraine should not come at the expense of other IC regions and priorities, such as sub-Saharan Africa or the Middle East. This view is shared by 5 out of 7 parties – very clearly the center – and 9 cantons. Only 3 out of 215 participants in the consultation explicitly had no problem with Ukraine aid being at the expense of IC (24% did not express an opinion on this question). The Federal Council’s advisory committee for international cooperation also spoke out against financing Ukraine at the expense of the poorest. Sticking to the 1.5 billion from the 2025-2028 IC budget for Ukraine funding is therefore tantamount to completely disregarding the consultation process.
Parliament must respect the will of the people
Now only Parliament can correct the Federal Council’s wrong decision. It will discuss and adopt the 2025-2028 international cooperation strategy in the fall and winter sessions. “We must prevent Switzerland’s proven development cooperation from being cut short,” says Andreas Missbach, Managing Director of Alliance Sud, the competence center for international cooperation and development policy. In doing so, Parliament would also be respecting the will of the people, who, according to a survey by the ETH Center for Development and Cooperation (NADEL), want to focus more on development cooperation than on the army. According to the ETH Security Study 2024, a clear majority of respondents, even in the political center, are in favor of increasing funding for the Global South.
Further information:
Andreas Missbach, Managing Director Alliance Sud, Tel. 031 390 93 30, andreas.missbach@alliancesud.ch
