Republic of Cuba
Swiss-Cuban cooperation dates back to 1999 with the start of an exploratory mission to evaluate the possibility to establish a bilateral cooperation programme. Over two decades, the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) supported inclusive local development through participative municipal management, gender equity, and sustainable agriculture, contributing significantly to Cuba's public policies, such as the National Plan for Food Security and progressive anti-discrimination laws. Despite challenges like the U.S. embargo and Cuba’s economic crises, SDC projects aligned well with national priorities and had a positive impact on the lives of the population. The legacy of SDC’s engagement lies in its participatory, inclusive, and sustainable approach.
As part of the 2021-2024 International Cooperation Strategy, the Swiss Parliament decided to phase-out its bilateral development cooperation in Latin America (by 2024) in order to focus its efforts on other regions of the world. The Exit Program for Cuba (2022-2024) emphasized consolidating results and ensuring sustainability of its results. After 2025, Swiss assistance to Cuba will be reduced and provided through other cooperation mechanisms, such as emergency aid, contributions to multilateral organizations and small projects in the areas of culture, human rights and private sector development.
24 Years of SDC in Cuba
Since the early twentieth century, Cuba and Switzerland have enjoyed cordial relations, primarily based on the Swiss commitment to international rights and national sovereignty.
Cuba: Local Development in Cuba - An Atypical Cooperation Engagement
The more than 20 years of SDC’s cooperation with Cuba on local development clearly reflect contributions to poverty reduction and sustainable development. This report sketches the evolution of development interventions from various isolated one-off initiatives at local level, often with an emphasis on technology, to more comprehensive programmes and platforms with a focus on individual and institutional capacity development. Governance topics related to municipal planning, local participation mechanisms, multi-stakeholder cooperation, local food production etc. were gaining prominence in SDC’s portfolio over time.
Convergences - A Documentary Film by Pablo Massib
Latin America and the Caribbean Section
[Swiss] Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Eichenweg 5
Switzerland - 3052 Zollikofen