Swiss development aid spending climbs slightly

Switzerland spent CHF3.59 billion ($3.85 billion) on official development aid in 2021, or 0.51% of gross national income (GNI), the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The figure marks an increase of CHF243 million on the previous year, which had in turn seen a boost in funding largely thanks to the increased assistance linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, major changes in development aid included emergency funding for Afghanistan (some CHF250 million was approved by the Swiss parliament to help the humanitarian crisis there) as well as the donation of unused Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies to needier countries. Swiss overseas development assistance also includes costs associated with assisting refugees and asylum seekers in the country, which came to CHF337 million in 2021; without counting them, the total percentage of GNI spent on aid would have been 0.46%. Inflating the figures On Tuesday, Alliance Sud, an umbrella organisation representing various aid groups...