Organization Overview
Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO) was established on the basis of the bilateral Agreement on Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid signed by the Governments of Switzerland and Tajikistan on 19 October 1999.
The Office has diplomatic status and is headed by a Swiss diplomatic representative, assigned by the Government of Switzerland to maintain cooperation issues and supervise the Swiss Program in Tajikistan. Since 2001, SCO includes the Swiss Consular Agency, which is an outpost of the Embassy of Switzerland to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. SCO represents three governmental donor agencies: the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Human Security Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs.
It also represents other Swiss Federal Departments in Tajikistan as well the Swiss Ambassador accredited to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, with permanent residence in Kazakhstan. Cooperation between Tajikistan and Switzerland is based on the common constituency Group in the Bretton Woods Institutions, where Tajikistan belongs to the ‘Swiss Group’. SCO works with governmental bodies and the corresponding ministries in health, economy, energy, water, rule of law and human rights. In the same areas SCO works with local public organizations, civil society organizations, UN Agencies, Development Banks, International Finance Institutions, Consultant Agencies and international nongovernmental partners such as Caritas Switzerland, Focus Humanitarian Assistance, Aga Khan Foundation, and the Swiss Centre for International Health of the Swiss Tropical Institute.
Furthermore, since 2010 Switzerland has been supporting the Human Rights Programme in Tajikistan in five priority areas of collaboration which were commonly defined: 1) Universal Periodic Review; 2) Migration; 3) Women’s Rights and domestic violence; 4) Abolition of Death Penalty; and 5) Torture and Detention.
The Swiss-funded projects are implemented by the partners of SCO, and only in exceptional cases by SCO itself. Projects funded by the Swiss Government are formulated in line with the development plans of the Government of Tajikistan, and formalized by bilateral project agreements and are usually of mid-term duration (2-3 years). The financing of projects is provided in the form of grants. SCO is in charge of handling the relations with the Government of Tajikistan regarding specific projects and the Swiss program of cooperation in Tajikistan in general. It is also responsible for receiving and providing the initial appraisal of requests for assistance. Depending on the budget, the final decision on the funding is made by SCO or by the Swiss governmental donor agencies responsible for consideration and approval.
| Ms. Salome Steib Country Director Tel: (+992 37) 224 73 16, 224 38 97 Fax: (+992 44) 600 54 55 Email: dushanbe@sdc.net Website: www.eda.admin.ch/dushanbe Address: 3 Tolstoy Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan |