State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

SECO is the Swiss federal government’s centre of expertise for all core issues relating to economic policy. Its aim is to ensure sustainable economic growth by putting in place the necessary regulatory and economic policy conditions.

SECO is involved in efforts to reduce poverty in the form of economic development cooperation. SECO is responsible for the coordination of Switzerland’s relations with the World Bank Group, the regional development banks and the economic organisations of the United Nations.

SECO has two main objectives: to support the integration of partner countries into the global economy, and to promote their sustainable economic growth.

SECO, through its economic development cooperation, has, in part, supported a World Bank program aimed at developing innovative insurance products and facilitating their application at the agricultural producer co-operative, local insurance and bank level.

This work program, which is carried out by the World Bank’s Agricultural Risk Management Team, takes into account the variety of risks (e.g. logistics, transportation and health) present at the various stages and introduces risk management solutions adapted to increase the durability and competitiveness of the whole value chain.

This approach is in addition to SECO’s commitment in relation to sustainable standards, such as fair trade and organic production.