REPORT BY: KWEKU BOLTON
Switzerland has unveiled a new cooperation programme in Ghana, committing $3.59 million over four years to strengthen decentralisation and improve local governance.
In an exclusive interview, Ms. Janie Walz, Deputy Ambassador at the Swiss Embassy and Head of Cooperation for Switzerland, the World Bank, and the Economic Governance Platform programme, said the initiative forms part of Switzerland’s broader cooperation framework with Ghana and focuses on Public Financial Management (PFM). The programme is designed to enhance service delivery, improve data-driven decision-making, and boost accountability and performance among State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
Unlike infrastructure-focused projects, the programme invests in building institutional capacity, fostering partnerships, and engaging stakeholders to improve governance. Switzerland continues to support the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and collaborates with GIZ on accountability measures, creating a comprehensive framework for reform.
Ms. Walz noted that while there is currently no active programme on domestic resource mobilisation, Switzerland partners with the World Bank on finance for development and supports Ghana’s budget processes. She added that the cooperation philosophy draws inspiration from Switzerland’s decentralised governance model. “Fiscal, administrative, and political decentralisation helps a country to grow,” she said, underscoring Switzerland’s support for Ghana’s decentralisation strategy at multiple levels, including fiscal reforms and capacity building.
Ms. Walz emphasised: “The Ghana–Switzerland partnership is anchored on three pillars: decentralisation, private sector development and job creation, and environmental integrity.” She added that “this week also saw the launch of Switzerland’s renewable energy programme and the unveiling of a net metering website, reinforcing commitments to sustainable energy.” At the RIFA forum, Switzerland brought together diverse stakeholders to advance dialogue on governance and development.
