Accord with Afghanistan aims to underpin Swiss aid
Attacks and insecurity continue in troubled Afghanistan
Keystone
Switzerland and Afghanistan have signed an agreement in Kabul to boost development cooperation and humanitarian aid to the troubled country.
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“This enhances the legal basis for cooperation between the two countries,” a Swiss government press releaseExternal link stated on Tuesday.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has had a permanent presence in the Afghan capital since 2002, after the fall of the Taliban. Its programmes include support to vulnerable populations, education and agriculture.
They also focus on helping to build trust in Afghan state institutions, such as the police and judicial system. Swiss aid has, for example, been used to recruit and train 3,500 female police officers.
Security for aid workers in the country is a major issue. The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) temporarily suspended its operations in Afghanistan last year after six of its staff were killed.
The SDC’s cooperation strategy for Afghanistan is “guided by a long-term commitment, even in periods of instability and insecurity”, according to the government.
It told a conference in late 2016 that Switzerland will continue funding humanitarian projects in Afghanistan to the tune of CHF26 million ($27.7 million) per year until 2020.
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