Swiss Cooperation Programme in BiH 2025-2028

Sustainable economic and migration cooperation

Switzerland supports Bosnia and Herzegovina in creating favourable conditions for investments, private sector growth, job creation, innovation and sustainability. This includes improving the economic framework across administrative boundaries, enhancing business services, and fostering competitive entrepreneurship and start-ups, particularly to empower youth and women and promote a green economy. To reduce youth unemployment, Switzerland supports technical and vocational training that is aligned with market needs and harmonised across the country. Emphasis is placed on work-based learning and mentoring in close partnership between authorities, educational institutions and the private sector. Efforts to improve working conditions, increase labour market participation for women and migrants, while supporting engagement between the diaspora and local communities strengthens the economy.

The migration partnership strengthens migration management by enhancing local capacities and regional cooperation, improving border management, protecting migrants’ rights, and ensuring provision of essential services.

Health

In close collaboration with the health authorities, Switzerland contributes to ensuring access to quality primary healthcare throughout the country and enabling people to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Switzerland's efforts in primary healthcare focus on the prevention of non-communicable diseases, the improvement of nursing services, and the development of care services for the elderly. This improves the health system’s efficiency and reduces costs. The development of policies, laws, regulations, strategies and professional standards are jointly discussed between both entity ministries and elaborated in a countrywide harmonised manner. Personal and institutional relationships across entities are a contribution to cohesion. Swiss-supported projects focus on vulnerable groups, such as people with chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, and with limited mobility, or people living in remote areas.

Local governance and municipal services

Switzerland promotes democracy and good governance by strengthening accountable and transparent institutions which provide quality public services to all citizens. Emphasis is placed on the active and systematic participation of citizens, particularly those who are socially excluded, in decision-making processes. Through an institutional partnership between Swiss and local institutions, Switzerland shares its experiences in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and supports the country’s voluntary reporting to the UN. Furthermore, civil society organisations are supported in their dialogue with authorities. These efforts contribute to cohesion and foster trust in democratic processes and institutions.

Supporting the development of laws and policies in line with European standards is essential for providing quality municipal services across all municipalities. Citizens benefit directly from safe drinking water provided through modernised and well managed water utilities. Switzerland supports authorities with measures for energy efficiency and the transition to renewable energy, as well as the preparation for new climate realities and disaster protection.

Cross-cutting issues

All projects, contributions and partnerships focus on including socially discriminated groups and ensuring equal treatment of men and women, particularly in accessing services and participating in democratic processes. Given the widespread corruption, Switzerland promotes good governance through transparency, accountability, participation, rule of law, and effectiveness. The Programme applies a zero-tolerance policy for corruption.

Development context

Three decades after the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces conflicting historical narratives and geopolitical influences. Domestic political actors lack a shared vision, ranging from questioning the existence of a federal country to pushing for a centralised state. The country remains in the grip of corruption, state capture and divisive ethno-nationalist narratives, serving the interests of elites who show little interest in resolving conflicts. Rising tensions in the region bear the risk of violent conflicts.

The needs of the citizens and the country are shaped by growing economic and social disparities. Many citizens have negative perceptions about their country’s future. The rapid narrowing of civic space prevents citizen action. Because of the challenging political and economic context, corruption, and the poor quality of education and health care systems, around 60’000 citizens have emigrated every year over the last decade, mainly to Western Europe. At the same time, an ageing population poses challenges to education, health systems, social protection, and labour markets. Despite the weak framework conditions such as lagging infrastructure investments and labour shortages, the economy has been resilient, but needs further investments to become more competitive and meet European standards.

The conditional opening of the EU accession negotiations in 2024 reaffirms a European path for Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided that domestic agreement on reforms is reached. The EU-funded growth plan for the Western Balkans offers the financing of infrastructure conditional on reforms for democratisation and regional integration. In this context, Switzerland as one of the most important bilateral donors is contributing to this path with its expertise, and is perceived as an example of a well-functioning federal state.

Since 1996, the Cooperation Programme has been a central pillar of Switzerland’s presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and significantly contributes to excellent bilateral relations. Switzerland promotes sustainable economic growth, democracy, good governance and equal access of citizens to public services in order to create perspectives for the local population. Since 2009, Switzerland maintains a migration partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mutual interest for a safe, orderly and regular migration management as the Western Balkans are on a major route for migrants heading to Europe. The Cooperation Programme also addresses the diaspora in Switzerland and elsewhere by leveraging investments and knowledge sharing. Switzerland is geographically close and is home to approximately 60’000 people of origin from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A common regional market and an increasing integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into a single European market offer considerable potential for trade and investment for Switzerland.

Approach and partners

As a "nation of will", Switzerland has particular expertise in promoting cohesion among people of different origins, religions and languages. It engages with a wide range of actors across Bosnia and Herzegovina, including governments and authorities at all levels, companies, business associations, civil society, and development partners. By identifying connecting lines, shared interests and values, the Cooperation Programme provides valuable contributions to sustain peace. It brings together people from different backgrounds and promotes the exchange of ideas, experiences and policies between institutions, contributing to harmonised systems that provide equal access to services and quality of life for all citizens across the country.

The results of the Programme depend on the political will of governments at all levels to implement reforms. The policy dialogue emphasizes socio-economic conditions, local governance, migration management and the water, energy, and health sectors. These reforms are critical for citizens and to advance good governance, rule of law, and integrity in line with European standards.

Switzerland offers its own and regional expertise, and promotes performance-based approaches and locally led-development. This increases effectiveness and empowers institutions to lead change and take responsibility for progress and results. Wherever circumstances allow, Switzerland prioritises contributions to local partners over mandates to external actors. Partnerships and core contributions are particularly preferred modalities. Switzerland promotes the coordination between development actors and regional cooperation.

Switzerland intends to provide grant funding of up to CHF 15 million per year (Bosnian Mark 30 million) during the period from 2025-28, depending on the funds allocated. The funding will also leverage investments by multilateral banks and private sector.