Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Swiss government specifies reconstruction aid in Ukraine

Ukraine damage
A man walks among the rubble of buildings damaged by Russian shelling, in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on February 6. Keystone

Reconstruction of urban infrastructure, restoration of secure basic services, continuation of emergency aid: these are the goals the Swiss government is pursuing with its aid to Ukraine over the next few years. CHF1.5 billion ($1.65 billion) has been earmarked for this until 2028.

+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox

The government and parliament have already decided on the amount of financial support for reconstruction in Ukraine. On Wednesday, the government defined the priorities of the so-called Country Programme 2025 to 2028.

It said the aim is to provide emergency aid, establish a just and sustainable peace and give the population prospects for the future. According to the government, Switzerland wants to work with Ukrainian small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), for example, to help them integrate into the global market.

+ How Switzerland is managing foreign aid at a time of global upheaval

In addition to maintaining and developing the private sector, the government is also focusing on rebuilding urban infrastructure and repairing infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the war. It is also supporting the participation of local and regional authorities in the reconstruction process.

The aim is also to support the Ukrainian authorities in providing good quality public services without discrimination or corruption. Where there is war, protection and security remain primary needs.

According to the government, Switzerland is focusing on emergency aid as well as humanitarian demining, the search for and identification of missing people, and the documentation and prosecution of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. In addition, assistance is to be provided in the search for missing soldiers and civilians.

Billions in aid

The Country Programme marks the start of a 12-year federal support process for reconstruction, reforms and sustainable development in Ukraine. Ambassador Jacques Gerber is responsible for its implementation.

In a first step, he has CHF1.5 billion at his disposal from the international cooperation budget until 2028. Over the next 12 years, a total of CHF5 billion will be made available. The government is also examining other sources of funding for the 2029 to 2036 phase.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.

If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

WHO boss "saddened" by US absence

More

WHO boss saddened by US absence

This content was published on Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the American "absence" on the executive board since last week makes him "sad".

Read more: WHO boss saddened by US absence
Mandatory EU referendum not possible according to Council Commission

More

Mandatory EU referendum not possible, says Swiss commission

This content was published on Switzerland's treaties with the European Union cannot be subject to a mandatory referendum. This is the opinion of the majority of the responsible committee of the House of Representatives.

Read more: Mandatory EU referendum not possible, says Swiss commission

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR