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On 11 December 2010, 19 volunteer rescue workers of the Lebanese Red Crossreceived their diplomas as instructors with the Lebanese Emergency Medical Services.The event represented the culmination of a two-year training cycle.

Case file


Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon

Website of the SDC in Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon: www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/jordan/

The SDC has been running development cooperation and humanitarian aid programmes in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria for the past several years.

Reliable and peaceful living conditions are to be created for various groups:

  • Refugees
  • Internally displaced persons
  • Vulnerable population and migrant groups
  • Communities that are particularly exposed to the risk of natural disasters.
The extremely tense situation in Syria requires particular attention. In response to the civil unrest inspired by the Arab Spring, the government has taken increasingly harsh measures since March 2011 to crack down on protestors. If serious human rights violations lead to a humanitarian crisis, the most vulnerable population groups – Palestinian and Iraqi refugees and Syrians alike – will be the first ones in need of assistance. Refugee flows from Syria to neighbouring countries may increase as a result. The SDC remains in close contact with Swiss diplomatic missions in the region as well as with important international partner institutions.

The Middle East has been the theatre of conflicts and occupation for over a century. Most people are familiar with the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. However, war and instability (both political and humanitarian) in Iraq and Lebanon have also taken their toll in the region.

Frequent resettlements of the population have shown how important it is to protect internally displaced persons and refugees. Several countries must share the burden of providing accommodation for these people.
While there has been a general decrease in poverty, there are still many vulnerable population groups in these countries. The socio-economic consequences of conflicts worsen the situation of families, especially women and children who are already suffering from legal and structural discrimination. Migrant workers from Asia and Africa are exposed to precarious living conditions and discrimination. The number of unemployed is particularly high, for instance, in refugee communities. When young people lack education and training – and therefore the opportunity to take part in economic and public life – a country's economic growth prospects are diminished, as are any chances of democratic change within society. Social and political strife is often fertile ground for religiously motivated political extremism.

Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are also greatly at risk of natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes and drought. This brings additional threats to the region and the populations living there. Dealing with water shortages at the regional level remains a major challenge.

The Swiss Government's bilateral commitment 2010
Mio. CHF
2011
Mio. CHF
2012*
Mio. CHF
SDCa
Bilateral development cooperation 1.86 2.64 0.99
Humanitarian aid 15.09 15.13 19.55
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
Economic Cooperation and Development 0.30 6.63
Total SDC/SECO commitment 17.25 17.77 27.17
Other Federal Offices
FDFA Human Security Division and Directorate of International Law 0.60 0.45 0.08
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) 0.10 0.04
State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) 0.05 0.06 0.06
Total other Federal Offices 0.75 0.55 0.14
Total 18.00 18.32 27.31
* planned; total based on available data
Bilateral development cooperation excluding programme contributions to NGOs
– = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
a Excluding multilateral contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of 5.3 mil. CHF in 2010 and of 6.1 mil.CHF in 2011

Humanitarian aid and development cooperation: priorities

The SDC implements its strategies in the following three areas:

The SDC Cooperation Office in Amman coordinates the activities of the SDC programme office in Beirut and Damascus as well as the programme in Iraq, where the SDC has no field office.


Background information on Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon

Facts and figures
Iraq
Jordan

Syria
Lebanon
Surface area
Population
Annual population growth rate (since 1990)
Life expectancy at birth women / men
Adult illiteracy rate: women / men
Gross Domestic Product GDP per capita
Percentage of population with less than 2 USD per day
438’317
27.5
   2.6
71 / 68
36 / 16
2900
 
..
88'780
5.9
  2.4
75 / 71
..
4'216.5
 
4
185'000
20.6

  2.7

76 / 72

23 / 10

2682

 
..
10'400
4.2
  0.7
74 / 70
..
8'175
 
..
km2
mill.
%

years

%
US$

%

Source: World Bank's World Development Indicators 2011

Background information Iraq (BBC)
Background information Syria (BBC)
Background information Jordan (BBC)
Background information Libanon (BBC)


Local SDC contact address:

Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon (Amman)

Swiss Cooperation office Lebanon
Beirut
Phone: +961 1 739 741
Fax: +961 1 739 742
Email: beirut@sdc.net

Swiss Cooperation Office Syria
Doha St. No. 25-East Mezzeh
P.O.Box 5913, Damascus - Syria
Phone: +962 6 585 60 20
Fax: +962 6 581 59 56
Email: damascus@sdc.net

Swiss Regional Cooperation Office Jordan
Swefiyeh, Salah Toqan st. No.7
P.O.Box 830544 Amman 11183

Phone +962 6 585 6020
Fax +962 6 581 5956
Email amman@sdc.net
Website www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/jordan/

Additional Information and Documents

Here, you will find more publications, links, documents and articles about Swiss development cooperation and humanitarian aid in this country.