Switzerland will allocate funding and engage the private sector in Ukraine's reconstruction projects.
This was agreed upon during a meeting between Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction, Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksii Kuleba, and Felix Baumann, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
“I thank Switzerland for its constant and systematic support, which gives us a sense that we are not alone against the enemy. On our part, I can say that the Ministry of Development now has additional responsibilities, which is important in our interaction. We are adding the area of support for internally displaced persons, of whom there are currently over 4.5 million in Ukraine. Therefore, one of the focuses of cooperation is the construction of housing for these categories. We are interested in activating regional programs and could expand our cooperation within the framework of the funding that Switzerland offers,” said Oleksii Kuleba.
Felix Baumann noted that during his tenure as ambassador, he had visited regions multiple times, allowing him to assess Ukraine's needs firsthand. He also emphasized that Switzerland has been implementing support programs for Ukraine for a long time, addressing issues such as decentralization, reconstruction programs, and joint projects with Ukrzaliznytsia, as well as assistance during preparations for the heating season. Currently, the Swiss government is offering additional assistance programs to Ukraine.
“Another important focus of our cooperation remains the 'Early Recovery' projects, within which the Swiss government plans to allocate 1.5 billion Swiss francs for reconstruction projects in Ukraine over the next four years. Of this amount, 1 billion will be directed, as before, to self-governance sectors, demining, and humanitarian aid. The remaining amount will be allocated to recovery programs involving the Swiss private sector. To emphasize the seriousness of our intentions, we will have a representative working here who will be responsible for implementing this project. Right now, a delegation from the private sector is in Kyiv, getting acquainted with Ukraine's needs in the areas that the ministry is responsible for, in the medium and long term,” noted Felix Baumann.
The assistance from Swiss partners will help create new jobs in the regions.
Separately, the parties discussed cooperation between the Ministry and the Swiss government within the sectoral working group on decentralization and regional policy. They focused on the thematic content of the group's work, which aims to enhance the effectiveness of regional policy formation.
A meeting was also held in the ministry with a delegation from the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs (SECO), who arrived in Ukraine to hold the 14th meeting of the Ukrainian-Swiss Joint Committee. In the ministry, SECO representatives presented a plan of activities aimed at supporting Ukraine's recovery through the involvement of the Swiss private sector.
