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Liberia
From 1989 to 2003, Liberia was embroiled in a civil war which cost around 250,000 lives. National infrastructure and the economy were totally destroyed. Since the Accra Peace Agreement, a UN
Peacekeeping Force has been responsible for security and stability in the country. In 2008, the government developed a poverty reduction strategy, which offers the international community a framework
for its reconstruction efforts. The Swiss Humanitarian Aid department, which provided emergency assistance during the war, has supported since 2004 the return and reintegration of refugees and IDPs;
so far one million have returned. Since early 2006, it has also been contributing to reconstruction through a direct bilateral programme in Lofa County. SDC/HA activities are coordinated by the
regional Cooperation Office in Monrovia.
| Swiss International Cooperation | 2011 |
2012 |
2013* |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDC | |||
| Bilateral development cooperation | 1.45 | 3.65 | 1.50 |
| Humanitarian aid | 4.93 | 3.63 | – |
| State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) | |||
| Economic Cooperation and Development | – | 0.08 | – |
| Total SDC/SECO | 6.38 | 7.36 | 1.50 |
| Other Federal Offices | |||
| FDFA Human Security Division and Directorate of International Law | 0.51 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| Total other Federal Offices | 0.51 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| Cantons and municipalities | 0.02 | .. | .. |
| Total | 6.91 | 7.95 | 2.07 |
SDC figures excluding program contributions to NGOs
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Humanitarian Aid: Priorities
Since the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, rebuilding infrastructure and the rehabilitation of social services has had top priority. In the medium term, Liberians must also be given an opportunity to earn their living, and this calls for training, initial support and a general economic upturn. The considerable demands in respect of sustainable development and economic investment mean that Liberia is currently experiencing a transition gap. Many humanitarian players and donors are withdrawing, while development partners and investors are slow to become involved in the country. High unemployment and the enormous national debt continue to be obstacles on the way to Liberia’s recovery.
The SDC programme in Liberia, which aims to help the country make the transition from emergency assistance to development, has the following priorities:
- Health: Rehabilitation of the Voinjama referral hospital and funding for five years. Capacity building and selective support for Health Ministry efforts in Lofa County and at central government level. Contribution to the programmes of Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
- Schools: Local production of school furniture and uniforms, as well as the reconstruction and repair of schools in Lofa County (income generation). Funding for the School Feeding Programme run by the World Food Programme (WFP).
- Regional aspects: Support for neighbouring countries (Guinea, Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire) as a contribution to Liberia’s stabilisation. Emergency measures in readiness in the event of a crisis in a neighbouring country.
The SDC/HA contributes to the programmes of the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as to Swiss and international NGOs such as "Action Contre la Faim", the Salvation Army and "Médecins Sans Frontières-Suisse", in addition to the Liberian Red Cross Society and small local NGOs.
Background information Liberia
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| Source: World Bank's World Development Indicators 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background information provided by the BBC
Local SDC contact address:
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Liberia () |
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Swiss Cooperation Office Liberia |
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| Phone | +231 77 711 999 +231 77 500 008 |
| Fax | +231 77 500 009 |
| monrovia@sdc.net | |
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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. |