Swiss Development Cooperation in Bolivia focuses on governance, economic development, climate change and the environment. Bolivia's increasing urbanisation is posing new challenges. Thus, besides rural development, the focus is also on improving the delivery of services in peri-urban areas.

From 2005 to 2014, Bolivia experienced economic and income growth attributable to exports of natural gas, oil and mining products. Since the end of the commodity boom in 2014, the country’s revenues have fallen by 25%. The government’s income redistribution programmes during the growth years reduced poverty. Nonetheless, Bolivia remains one of the poorest countries in Latin America. Its economic challenges comprise a heavily overvalued currency, underemployment, low productivity, insufficient diversification (e.g. in terms of products and especially regarding its economic sectors), lack of international competitiveness and a large shadow economy.

Switzerland is helping to ensure that the additional public resources benefit the poor and particularly vulnerable groups – especially young people and women. Its efforts are focused on rural and peri-urban areas in the highlands and in the Andean valleys. Switzerland coordinates its activities with national and international organisations and other countries that are active in Bolivia.

Governance

Promoting the rule of law and strengthening civil society

Swiss Development Cooperation projects include targeted measures to improve access to justice for broad sectors of the population, especially in rural areas. The programmes designed to promote the rule of law also focus on reducing violence towards women. The framework conditions for a freely emerging civil society have become appreciably more difficult in recent years. Switzerland and the international donor community support constructive dialogue and a culture of compromise between civil society and government.

Good Governance

Economic development

Economic and productive development with greater inclusiveness and equality

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) primarily works on vocational skills development, while the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) mainly promotes sustainable trade. Switzerland is able to draw on its own experience of vocational training for disadvantaged groups as well as the know-how it has acquired in various Latin American countries. The aim of the projects in this area is to improve access to financial and non-financial services or new markets for vocational college graduates, producer families and micro-sized and small enterprises. Furthermore in this regard, alliances are to be set up between Swiss companies in Bolivia and the SDC in order to advance sustainable development within the framework of the 2030 Agenda. In addition, Swiss projects promote the expansion of production and increased productivity.

Climate change and the environment

Risk prevention and improving resilience

Switzerland supports the sustainable use of natural resources. The Swiss contribution to combating climate change lies mainly in adjustment mechanisms centred on water management, land use and disaster risk reduction through prevention and disaster preparedness. SECO contributes to that by supporting sustainable urban development measures. Growing urbanisation brings environmental challenges. In this regard the SDC focuses mainly on wastewater and waste treatment.

Climate change and the enironment

History of cooperation

Switzerland's long-standing commitment is highly appreciated

Switzerland's long-standing and successful development cooperation efforts are held in high regard in Bolivia. Since 1968, Switzerland has been active in the area of development cooperation in Bolivia, since 1981 Bolivia has been one of the SDC's priority countries and since 2017 it has been a country for SECO complementary measures. The programme is adjusted on an ongoing basis to reflect the country's changing social and economic conditions.