SECO’s projects have an impact

Between 2016 and 2019, the interventions of SECO have allowed for:

  • the creation of 157,000 new jobs and the preservation of 15,000 jobs;
  • 1.3 million organisations to have access to new capital;
  • 1.2 million workers in value chains to have access to further education in order to be able to export sustainable products and to improve their living standards;
  • 20 million people to have access to basic services, such as access to water;
  • 6 million people in 94 cities of Africa, Asia and Latin America to be involved in sustainable urban planning;
  • 29 million tonnes of CO2 to be spared and 21.4 billion kilowatt-hours to be produced from renewable energies;
  • USD 4.3 billion to be mobilised for the improvement of basic infrastructures; and
  • the facilitation of exports of sustainable products worth USD 430 million.

Approximately 90 percent of the projects supported by SECO are successful. This is reflected in the analysis within external project evaluations and the independent thematic evaluations for 2016 to 2019. Take for example the role SECO played in integrating producers into global value chains in the sectors of cocoa, cotton and gold. It has positioned itself internationally as an important player in the field of energy-efficient cities, valued by partners and beneficiaries alike, and as a reliable trailblazer for urban innovation. Thanks to the specific Swiss skill set involved, SECO’s projects have promoted Switzerland’s visibility in foreign countries.

This is what the beneficiaries of SECO projects have to say:


The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program has shown us the importance of client demand. We have successfully adapted our digital currency exchange service.

Claudia Quintanilla
COO and Co-Founder of Rextie, a fintech start-up in Peru


Thanks to improved cultivation methods, I am able to harvest twice as much algae and provide better financial support to my family.

Sabri Delate
Algae farmer in Ujung Baji village, Takalar, Indonesia. He benefitted from training in the  SECO-funded SMART-Fish Indonesia programme.


Thanks to SECO, I was able to expand my expert knowledge in the area of tax transparency. I now look forward to assisting with increasing tax income in Ghana.

Nana Achiaa Amoako

Legal Practitioner Ghana Revenue Authority, Domestic Revenue Mobilization Programme Ghana


Effectiveness is verified …

SECO systematically reviews the effectiveness of its projects. It applies international standards based on causal chain approaches (Theory of Change model) to assess the progress of its projects and programmes:

1. Service provided

SECO and its partners invest money, time, expertise and equipment in a project.

2. Immediate impact

SECO uses these investments, for example, to produce studies, prepare projects, deliver training, or improve processes, infrastructure and legislation.

3. Medium-term impact

The quality of services, offerings, infrastructure and the underlying legislation are improved.

4. Long-term impact

The projects and programmes raise the quality of life of the communities concerned.

… and measured

In order to measure the impact of projects, SECO collects information regularly and evaluates the results of projects:

  • The implementation partners and SECO use this information as a basis to discuss the project status regularly. They discuss results, challenges and difficulties and decide on adjustments and improvements.
  • In the course of independent evaluations, experts review whether the projects have actually generated the desired impact. They analyse project experiences and results, draw conclusions and recommend improvements.

SECO measures the impact of its projects based on Switzerland’s international cooperation strategy. The strategy defines the overarching objectives and thematic focus for project monitoring. It also serves as a reference for independent evaluations. SECO provides information relating to the impact achieved in evaluation and accountability reports.

Last modification 22.12.2020

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