In 2002, the Government of Switzerland established the Cooperation Office in Kabul with a view of supporting the processes of political stabilisation and reconstruction of the war torn country. Today, the Swiss Cooperation Office is running and supervising a vast development and humanitarian programme with an annual turnover of up to 12 million Swiss francs (10 million USD). Switzerland’s commitment in Afghanistan is guided by its Medium-Term Strategy.

Humanitarian Aid was at the core when opening the office by supporting returnees to settle down and by providing health services. Humanitarian aid is still needed in specific areas. Thus, Switzerland continues supporting the reintegration of returnees and the protection of people at risk. Over a couple of years, it has contributed to alleviate the effects of a prolonged drought (water and sanitation, seed programmes). Besides, it co-finances the work of multilateral institutions such as WFP, UNHCR as well as the ICRC.

In the area of Development Cooperation, Switzerland had and continues having its share in the re-building of the state. In the beginning, it contributed to realizing the first elections in Afghanistan –  today, it is supporting the professional advancement of civil servants. The like, it has contributed to the building up and strengthening of the Independent Human Rights Commission as well as to fledgling civil society organisations. In the rural area of North-eastern Afghanistan – where the security situation allows working – a number of international NGOs are implementing a programme for improving livelihood situation of families and communities.

Switzerland – through its Cooperation Office – is an active member of the aid coordination activities of national and international actors. The Swiss programme is in line with the national priorities as defined in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy ANDS.

Both the Humanitarian Aid and the Development programme are performed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, which is a directorate of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also other Swiss Ministries and Directorates channel funds for single activities through the Cooperation Office. (About Swiss Internatioanl Cooperation)

Being a part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Cooperation Office serves as a liaison to the Swiss Embassy in Islamabad, but does not have consular function.

The cooperation between Afghanistan and Switzerland did not just start after the fall of the Taliban. Already in the seventies of the last century, SDC run a number of projects in the agriculture sector, including animal husbandry and fabrication of cheese. With the Soviet invasion of the country, the programme had to be abandoned.

Throughout the eighties and nineties, it made place to Humanitarian Aid programmes, supporting Afghans in the country as well as in Pakistan and Iran through multilateral channels such as UNHCR, WFP and ICRC. The programme – then steered by the Cooperation Office in Islamabad – focussed on the assistance to refugees and internally displaced people. Starting 1997, Switzerland actively participated in the Afghanistan Support Group (ASG), a donor coordination mechanism that existed until 2001.