2023 Annual Report: Far-sighted development cooperation more important than ever

Poverty is not the only problem facing people in emerging and developing countries: armed conflicts and natural disasters resulting from climate change are also on the rise. Philippe Schneuwly, CEO, comments on this in the editorial of the Annual Report: “As an organisation dedicated to development, we recognise that foresight is key to preventing long-term dependencies. At the end of the day, it’s about the dignity of local populations. They want to be self-sufficient, and we strive to afford them this opportunity. For this reason, we are committed to strengthening abilities and systems, even in fragile contexts, so that people can – as far as possible – be liberated from the shackles of poverty.” Thomas D. Meyer, Foundation Council Chairman, points out that development cooperation certainly is possible even in fragile contexts and politically unstable countries such as Myanmar or Niger, if the projects are adapted to the new circumstances. It is precisely in these countries that Swisscontact is creating a new hope for the civilian population and the private sector, says Meyer.