The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) finances sustainable and climate-resilient urban planning in countries such as Vietnam, Bolivia, Jordan, Cameroon, Egypt and Ukraine. These are implemented by third parties (in particular the World Bank, UN-Habitat and GIZ). Die Swiss Accompanying Measures (SAM) sollen gezielt und ergänzend dazu Schweizer Expertise einbringen, um konkreten Bedürfnissen in den Partnerländern zu begegnen. ENCO – in partnership with Urbaplan – was commissioned to coordinate the mandate.
With the SAM approach, SECO aims to promote the international transfer of Swiss know-how in addition to its financial support for various countries. This is to be adapted to the specific needs of the partner countries. As co-lead with the urban planning company Urbaplan, which has strong roots in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, ENCO was entrusted with setting up a Swiss network of experts and coordinating the SAM project. In concrete terms, the aim is to examine the specific needs and potential added value of Swiss know-how in the partner countries, to build up a corresponding network of experts, to draw up specifications and contracts for experts from Switzerland and to ensure service quality.
Swiss accompanying measures include training, exchange of experience, technical support, participatory planning approaches and the development of suitable digital platforms. The following topics focused on by the SECO-projects in the respective countries:
- sustainable urban and spatial planning,
- sustainable mobility,
- climate resilience and disaster protection (especially nature-based approaches),
- energy management and the expansion of renewable energy sources,
- innovative financing models
- as well as participatory planning and design approaches.
An initial network has already been created as part of the offer; this is to be continuously expanded and refined in order to specifically meet the needs of the partner countries.
Our contribution:
- Analysis of local needs, priorities and added value of Swiss know-how
- Establishment of a Swiss network of experts
- Preparation of specifications and contracts
- Awarding of contracts in accordance with SECO guidelines
- Monitoring and processing of services and quality assurance
- Communicating and measuring the impact of the supported projects and the results achieved
Period
September 2021-August 2024
Client
Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO)
Project Location
Vietnam, Bolivia, Jordan, Ukraine