Swiss Development Aid to Eritrea Terminated Over Migration Dispute

Switzerland has made the significant decision to terminate its development aid to Eritrea, with the cessation scheduled for the end of May 2025. This decisive action comes following an external evaluation that revealed insufficient progress in migration-related cooperation between the two nations. The Swiss Foreign Ministry emphasized that this decision was made independently of the federal government's broader cost-cutting measures, highlighting the specific nature of this policy change.

The core of the dispute centers on Eritrea's consistent refusal to accept the return of rejected asylum seekers. Switzerland has been working to establish a framework for returning asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected, but Eritrean authorities have shown resistance to such arrangements. This standoff has become a significant point of contention in bilateral relations, ultimately leading to the Swiss decision to withdraw development assistance.

The termination of development aid will take effect at the end of May 2025, marking a significant shift in Swiss-Eritrean cooperation. While some positive outcomes were achieved in areas such as vocational training, the lack of progress in migration cooperation has overshadowed these achievements. The decision reflects Switzerland's broader strategy of linking development assistance with migration policy compliance, setting a precedent for similar bilateral relationships.

Despite the aid termination, FDFA spokesperson Michael Steiner noted that overall relations between Switzerland and Eritrea have seen some improvement. The success in strengthening vocational training programs demonstrates that cooperation is possible in specific areas. However, the fundamental disagreement over migration policy and asylum seeker returns has proven to be an insurmountable obstacle in maintaining development aid support. This situation highlights the complex balance between maintaining diplomatic relations and enforcing migration policy objectives.