Policy Updates

On January 29, 2025, the Swiss government announced that it will reduce its foreign assistance budget by CHF110 million (US$124 million).

This decision affects multiple UN agencies:

• UNICEF's funding will drop from CHF18 million (US$20 million) to CHF14 million (US$16 million);
• The UNDP will receive CHF34 million (US$39 million), a 20% cut from 2024;
• UNAIDS and UNESCO will lose CHF3 million (US$3 million) and CHF4 million (US$5 million) respectively;
• GPE will be cut by CHF7 million (US$8 million); and
• UN Women will be cut by CHF3 million (US$3 million).

Swiss NGOs will face a CHF8 million (US$9 million) loss in core contributions, reflecting a 10% reduction. In 2024, core funded organizations included Caritas, Médecins Sans Frontières, Helvetas, Hirondelle, Terre des Hommes, Medair, and Solidar Switzerland.

Funding for peace promotion, humanitarian assistance, and assistance for Ukraine will remain unaffected. Budget reductions will also impact bilateral cooperation projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.