Opaque Swiss funding of NGOs under scrutiny

As Swiss parliamentarians debate slashing state funding of NGOs, it remains unclear exactly how much money is being doled out to domestic and foreign-based humanitarian agencies. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Last year, the government granted CHF4.6 billion in development aid across all departments, but only the foreign ministry is transparent about the nearly CHF1 billion it distributes to NGOs, according to the SonntagsZeitung. Although government development aid spending has doubled in the last 15 years, it is not known how much finds its way into the coffers of NGOs, the newspaper article states. + Proposed Swiss international aid cuts mean less for the needy Earlier this week, the House of Representatives voted to cut development aid funding by CHF250 million. Switzerland’s other parliamentary chamber, the Senate, will deliver its verdict in the coming week. Research by the SonntagsZeitung details the foreign ministry’s financial support of NGOs.