Swiss foreign minister reaffirms financial support for Ukraine

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The head of the Swiss foreign ministry, Ignazio Cassis, reaffirmed Switzerland's financial support for Ukraine on Friday at the 3rd International Cooperation Forum (IC Forum) in Basel. Switzerland will be spending more money on international cooperation in the coming years. 

There is no question of cutting back on international cooperation,” said Cassis at a press conference. There will, however, be cuts in the area of development aid, as humanitarian aid and peace promotion increase.

Swiss development aid is gradually withdrawing from Latin America, said Patricia Danzi, Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The funds freed up, which were initially intended for Africa and the Middle East, will be allocated to Ukraine. But it is important not to withdraw from any of the priority countries, she added. 

Multilateral cooperation and supported organisations are likely to be affected by financial cuts. Detailed calculations have not yet been made, added Danzi.  

Five billion for Ukraine 

On Wednesday, the Federal Council decided to allocate five billion Swiss francs ($5.5 billion) to the reconstruction of Ukraine up to 2036. The development policy working group Alliance Sud has criticised this decision. It fears a clear cut “in development cooperation that has proved its worth” with the countries of the South. 

The Swiss Forum for International Cooperation (IC Forum), organised by the Swiss foreign ministry, brings together players in international cooperation for a two-day exchange on topical issues. Some 1,700 participants from over 100 countries are in Basel to try to answer the question “What is peace? 

Swiss President Viola Amherd opened the forum on Thursday. She took advantage of her presence in Basel to hold a bilateral meeting with the President of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, the forum’s guest of honour. 

Adapted from German by DeepL/kc/ac 

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