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Bhutan
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The Governance Programme, a new area of cooperation for SDC in Bhutan, supports the country in its important political transition from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy. The long-standing partnership of Switzerland and Bhutan and the expertise of Switzerland in local governance and decentralisation give SDC a comparative advantage in this field. In 2009 SDC began supporting three governance projects in Bhutan: a) support for the Anti-Corruption Commission; b) strengthening of the judiciary system; and c) support and capacity building of local governments.
Bilateral development cooperation excluding program contributions to NGOs .. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF |
SDC has a long history of development
cooperation with Bhutan. Although Bhutan is no longer a priority country for the SDC, a limited number of projects in the fields of education, infrastructure (suspension bridges), community forest
management and governance are still being supported.Development Cooperation: Priorities
- Education: For 20 years, SDC, in cooperation with Helvetas and the World Bank, provided assistance to basic education in Bhutan. SDC also supported the Government of Bhutan in addressing major challenges to the provision of quality education for all. SDC supported the construction of schools and teacher education facilities and contributed to the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning. The capacities of the education administration in Bhutan were also strengthened.
- Rural infrastructure: Bhutan’s rugged terrain and the scattered rural communities make accessibility difficult. In cooperation with Helvetas, SDC supports the construction of suspension bridges together with the local population and promotes the training of local engineers. Suspension bridges often make an important contribution to poverty alleviation by improving accessibility to food supplies, schooling, medical facilities and markets.
- Community forest management: in cooperation with Helvetas, SDC supports sustainable forest management with the participation of local communities. Today, community forestry is not only a key component of Bhutan’s forest policy, it has also become an important movement in the country and receives significant attention in the mass media. Sustainable forest management is promoted by the Government of Bhutan as a means to reduce poverty.
- Governance: SDC supports Bhutan in the unprecedented political transition from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy. SDC partners directly with the Government of Bhutan to support this transition. Since 2009, SDC supports three main projects in the field of governance: i) strengthening of and support to local governments, ii) strengthening of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and iii) capacity building in the judiciary system.
SDC promotes development initiatives by the people of Bhutan, working in particular with:
- the Government of Bhutan
- Other donors in Bhutan (DANIDA, UNDP, World Bank)
- Helvetas, a non-governmental Swiss development cooperation organisation.
Background information Bhutan
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Background information Bhutan (BBC)
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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. |