Representatives from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) presented progress on developing a bankable pipeline of water and sanitation projects to Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, and Minister of Finance, Deidré Baartman, along with their departmental heads and teams.

The initiative, supported by SECO, aims to unlock local and international funding for municipal infrastructure, aggregating projects from multiple municipalities into a unified, investable portfolio. This innovative blended-finance approach combines grants and technical assistance to prepare projects for private and development finance investment.

SECO has committed significant grant funding—R72 million—while partners including Impact Fund Denmark (formerly IFU) and GreenCape contribute expertise and additional resources, such as R35 million from DANIDA Sustainable Infrastructure Finance.

Consul General in Cape Town, Andreas Rufer, accompanied the SECO delegation and expressed gratitude for the warm reception and ongoing partnership.

The programme’s ambition is to scale province-wide, extending to all municipalities that demonstrate sound financial management. It focuses on sustainable water infrastructure to boost economic growth, enhance service delivery, and build resilience amid climate pressures and urban demands.

This Swiss-Western Cape partnership exemplifies international cooperation in tackling infrastructure deficits through innovative financing, paving the way for tangible improvements in water security for residents.