Source description last updated: 31 December 2020

In brief: Country Analysis is the COI unit of the Secretariat for Migration (SEM, formerly Federal Office for Migration), the latter being responsible for matters concerning foreign nationals and asylum seekers in Switzerland.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Country of Origin Information.

Covered monthly on ecoi.net, for countries of priorities A-E.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“The State Secretariat for Migration SEM determines under what circumstances a person may enter Switzerland to live and work. It also decides who is granted protection from persecution. In collaboration with the cantons, SEM organises the accommodation of asylum seekers and the return of people who do not need protection to their country of origin. It also coordinates the integration of foreign nationals into Switzerland, is responsible at federal level for naturalising foreigners and works actively at international level to control migration movements.

On 1 January 2005, the former Federal Office for Refugees FOR and Federal Office for Immigration, Integration and Emigration IMES merged to become the Federal Office for Migration FOM. Its name was changed to State Secretariat for Migration SEM on 1 January 2015 to reflect its growing importance and broader range of tasks.” (SEM-Website: The SEM, undated)

“Country Analysis – a service at the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) – gathers, analyzes, and makes [Country of Origin] information available. Country Analysis also produces a wide range of publications of its own, often in cooperation with its international partners.
 The expertise of Country Analysis reports by the SEM provides information on general facts, examines the political, economical, and human rights situation, and offers an in-depth view on gender-based issues and health care in countries of origin.
In choosing sources, analyzing information gathered from these sources, and preparing information for publication, Country Analysis follows international standards of quality, and findings are documented in keeping with scientific practice. Utmost transparency in reporting is an overriding goal. (Country Analysis drafts its reports in one language only.)” (SEM-Website: Country of Origin Information (COI), undated)

Funding:

Total annual expenditure of approximately 1.9 billion Swiss Francs projected for all operation of the SEM in 2017. (SEM-Webiste: Ausgabenentwicklung Staatssekretariat für Migration, undated)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Countries which generate most asylum applications to Switzerland.
Thematic focus: Human rights, humanitarian and security situation in countries of origin of asylum seekers.

Methodology:

Country Analysis of State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is working “in line with the EU-Guidelines for processing Country of Origin Information [https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/sem/en/data/internationales/herkunftslaender/coi_leitlinien-e.pdf.download.pdf/coi_leitlinien-e.pdf]” (SEM: Focus Afghanistan; Téléphonie et internet mobiles, 30 June 2020, p. 2)

Reports by Country Analysis draw on “carefully selected sources; […] authors make no claim to be exhaustive. No conclusions may be deduced from the report on the merits of any claim to the well-foundedness of a request for refugee status or asylum. The fact that some occurrence, person, or organization may not have been mentioned in the report does not imply that such occurrence is considered as not having happened or a person or organization does not exist. This report is the result of independent research and editing. The views and statements expressed in this report do not necessarily represent any consensus of beliefs held by the Swiss government or its agencies.” (SEM: Focus Afghanistan; Téléphonie et internet mobiles, 30 June 2020, p. 2)

Language(s) of publications:

German, French and English.

Further reading / links:

Organisational chart:
https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/sem/de/data/ueberuns/organisation/organigramm-sem-d.pdf.download.pdf/organigramm-sem-d.pdf
 
Migration Report 2019:
https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/sem/en/data/ueberuns/organisation/organigramm-sem.pdf.download.pdf/organigramm-sem.pdf

All links accessed 31 Decmber 2020.