The Swiss government invests about USD 2 billion annually to promote development and reduce poverty in transition and developing countries. Mainly, two agencies are responsible for Switzerland’s official development cooperation abroad: the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The SDC provides humanitarian aid and longer-term development cooperation in the South and East. SECO is responsible for planning and implementing Switzerland’s economic and trade policy measures in developing countries. In Africa, Ghana is a priority country for SECO alongside South Africa and Egypt. SECO is represented in Ghana through the Economic Section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Accra.

UTC Building Accra Central, Accra © FDFA

Switzerland’s relations with Ghana date back to 1828 when the Basel Mission (Headquarters in Basel, Switzerland) sent missionaries to the Gold Coast  for evangelical work. Some major landmarks resulting from the activities of the Basel missionaries include the establishment of the Union Trading Company (UTC), hospitals and educational institutions. The missionaries promoted large scale planting of cocoa and were instrumental in developing cocoa as an export commodity for Ghana. The Swiss Confederation recognized the Republic of Ghana at independence on 6 March 1957 and established diplomatic relations in 1960.

Bilateral Trade
Over the past years, Ghana has regularly been among the top five trading partners of Switzerland in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana is one of the main suppliers of pineapples and cocoa to Switzerland for its world famous chocolate industry.

Economic Cooperation
In the area of economic cooperation, Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has provided balance of payments support to Ghana of about USD 83 million between 1984 and 1991. Switzerland has also provided budget support since 2002. SECO’s programmes in Ghana have expanded gradually to reach disbursements of approximately USD 15 million per year.

 Areas of Development Cooperation