As well as agile entrepreneurship, sustainable growth also requires the right framework conditions. There is need in many cases to modernise governance structures and promote good governance, as functioning state institutions and the rule of law are prerequisites for economic development. To achieve this goal, it will sometimes be necessary to work with corrupt regimes and state administrations, unsatisfactory though this is. In the choice of priority areas, greater emphasis should be placed on countries where growth and its effects can spill over into neighbouring countries. Swiss business interests will act as a leading indicator in this regard. In Africa, for example, Angola, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa are considered potential drivers of economic growth. Rather than comprehensive development cooperation programmes, these countries tend to need ad hoc assistance with combating corruption and money laundering as well as with better legislation, investment protection, justice and tax policy. Step up cooperation with Swiss companies It is not only large corporations that should be looking to the African continent. Swiss SMEs can play a key role in promoting local entrepreneurship as a driver of development. Private investment in Africa is key. The federal government should do more to foster and safeguard this investment by further developing tools and instruments such as start-up support and high-quality advisory services, provided for example by Swiss representations in the countries concerned. New forms of cooperation and interaction between governmental and non-governmental actors are needed, going beyond private sector funding of development cooperation activities. An indicator of this is the transfer of expertise by the private sector, for economic development requires input from professionals with the relevant practical experience. One approach would be to create a pool of experts from the private sector, the federal government and cantons, deployed on missions lasting several months, along the lines of the peacebuilding and Swiss Humanitarian Aid corps. Build on Swiss strengths: governance, education, environment, innovation International development cooperation is changing. Some donor countries, such as China and the Gulf States, have a different development philosophy from Switzerland. A clear profile is therefore all the more important: Switzerland needs to focus on strengths that are embedded in its own political system but which also confer added value globally. In other words, it has to harness its soft power. Switzerland’s core strengths will be increasingly in demand internationally. Switzerland has strengths in the following areas: • Governance: this is often where the greatest barriers to development lie. Switzerland has experience and credibility when it comes to the rule of law, good governance, human rights, proximity to citizens and subsidiarity. • Education: Switzerland’s experience with education at all levels, and especially with vocational skills development, can improve the prospects of young people in developing countries and emerging economies. Education is becoming more important than ever for economic development. • Environment and climate change: the need for expertise to reduce emissions and pollution and use natural resources more efficiently will increase. For example, technical assistance and investment will be needed to enable developing countries to generate energy for electricity, heating and cooling in a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable way. The Swiss cleantech industry can help to deliver solutions here. Expertise in coping with more frequent and intense natural disasters and dealing with major challenges in water supply will be increasingly sought after. However, the way in which Switzerland does development cooperation is also a key aspect of its profile. Its capacity for innovation is an asset that deserves to be made more of: • Firstly, the international programmes through which Switzerland helps to address global challenges are pioneering, as in areas such as food security and health. Swiss know-how and resources may be instrumental in the development of innovative global solutions. • Secondly, according to the OECD, Switzerland is characterised by innovative partnerships and financing models, as well as the flexibility to adapt programmes as needed. 29 2028 Foreign Policy Vision