Visit Swiss Cooperation Office websites.
North Korea
Website of the SDC in North Korea: www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/northkorea/
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Bilateral development cooperation excluding program contributions to NGOs – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF |
Development cooperation
with North Korea focuses on an agricultural programme to improve food production and on support for an opening-up to the outside world. The SDC cooperation programme thus contributes to building
trust and to the opening up of North Korea. The Swiss government began providing humanitarian aid in 1995 to relieve the famine caused by drought, flooding and structural problems. The SDC has had a
permanent office in Pyongyang since 1997. The political dialogue initiated between North Korea and Switzerland is to be continued in spring 2009.Development Cooperation: Priorities
An SDC coordinator and her Korean partners, supported by international agricultural specialists, are responsible for project implementation. The primary objectives of their activities are:
- to improve the food security situation of the rural population through contributing to more efficient farming and helping to support the reform process
- a contribution towards an opening-up to the outside world
- to improve access to international organizations
Agricultural programme: What began in 1995 as humanitarian aid – supplies of food (maize, rice, seed), winter clothing and meat from Switzerland – has, since 1998, developed more
towards helping people to help themselves. Fostering sustainable agriculture has become the main priority through measures such as the improvement and propagation of potato and maize seed, the
introduction of crop rotation, integrated pest control and the inclusion of animal husbandry. The aim is to achieve long-term food security in six districts of the country by means of innovative
projects, as well as to disseminate methods and concepts through existing training channels and provide technical and practical support for the agricultural sector. The experience gained in
cultivating and using agricultural products is to be built into regional and national strategies. In the case of integrated pest control, this is to culminate in adoption of a national strategy. With
the help of local partners, pilot projects for the sustainable use of slopes threatened by erosion will be continued. In light of the initial positive results achieved, the project will be expanded
to cover other areas.Technical and managerial training support will be provided not only for farming production but also for the processing and marketing of agricultural produce. A further innovation
provides groups of farmers with the opportunity to take out small loans.
Capacity building and an opening-up to the outside world: In order to guarantee long-term food security, North Korea must continue the hesitant moves towards greater openness it has
initiated in recent years. The lack of technical know-how for implementing economic and political reforms is to be corrected by specialized training in North Korea, Switzerland or elsewhere. EOne of
the activities supported is the “Pyongyang Business School” with a programme of modular courses in modern economic theory and business-skills training.
The SDC’s special programme for North Korea will be continued until the end of 2011, placing focus on the consolidation of successful and potentially-promising projects, together with the transfer of
activities to Korean or international partners.
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Background information North Korea (BBC)
Local SDC contact address:
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North Korea (Pyongyang) |
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Swiss Cooperation Office North Korea |
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| Phone | +850 (0) 2 381 76 45 +850 (0) 2 381 76 46 |
| Fax | +850 (0) 2 381 76 43 |
| pyongyang@sdc.net | |
| Website | www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/northkorea/ |
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Additional Information and Documents Here, you will find more publications, links, documents and articles about Swiss development cooperation and humanitarian aid in this country. |