Republic of Nicaragua
The cooperation between Nicaragua and Switzerland dates back to 1979 with a commitment to the country’s reconstruction and recovery when the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza ended after the civil war. Switzerland started with support to food production and rural water supply, humanitarian aid which expanded into integrated rural development followed an expansion into development cooperation activities in 1982. Over the years, Switzerland contributed to strengthening the country’s capacities in the fields of the country’s reconstruction and recovery and supported in the areas water supply and wastewater sector, rural entrepreneurship, natural resources development as well as public and private vocational education and training.
Nicaragua: Support to Water & Sanitation - From Infrastructure Towards Water Governance
The lack of access to water remains a serious problem in Nicaragua and Honduras, particularly for vulnerable people in rural areas. This report tells the story how SDC’s water & sanitation (W&S) engagement evolved over the years from sectorial hardware driven interventions to a more integrated approach that include aspects of health, education, governance and climate change. Institutionalization and territorial basin-based water management became more prominent over time.