Switzerland approves CHF80 million in emergency aid for Ukraine
A man walks along a street damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Thursday
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
The Swiss government has boosted its humanitarian support to victims of the war in Ukraine. On Friday it approved CHF80 million ($86 million) as an “expression of its solidarity with Ukrainians in need”.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/sb
Español
es
Ucrania: Suiza aprueba 80 millones de francos en ayuda de urgencia
“Around 12 million people are dependent on emergency aid because of Russia’s ongoing military intervention in Ukraine. With this contribution, Switzerland is expressing its solidarity with Ukrainians in need,” the government said in a statementExternal link on Friday.
Since the start of the war Switzerland has made available relief supplies, deployed aid specialists and given financial support to certain humanitarian organisations. The Alpine nation has already sent over 500 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, Poland and Moldova, for example.
Switzerland initially set aside CHF8 million for its Ukraine aid operation; this has now been raised to CHF80 million.
A quarter of this money will go towards helping Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries, such as Poland. Three-quarters of it has been earmarked for people in Ukraine. Funds will go to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, UN agencies, and international and local NGOs and projects implemented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Ukraine.
Refugees
Since the beginning of the war, more than 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Around 1.5 million people have travelled to Poland.
The UNHCR estimates that 10-15 million Ukrainians will be displaced by the war, out of a population of 44 million. The UNHCR head, Filippo Grandi, said it was the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.
Switzerland has registered 1,624 Ukrainians, of whom 1,145 are staying in federal asylum centres and 479 are with relatives and acquaintances. However, the authorities expect his figure to rise steeply. Between 50,000 and 60,000 Ukrainians could seek protection in Switzerland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Swiss justice minister.
More
More
Up to 60,000 Ukrainians could seek refuge in Switzerland
This content was published on
Between 50,000-60,000 Ukrainians could seek protection in Switzerland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Swiss justice minister.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
This content was published on
Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
Blatter, Platini return to court for new fraud trial over CHF2 million FIFA payment
This content was published on
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini appeared in court in Switzerland on Monday accused of fraud - 2.5 years after they were cleared.
Israel criticises Swiss decision to host Middle East conference in Geneva on Friday
This content was published on
Israel has condemned Switzerland for planning to host a meeting on international humanitarian law in the Middle East next Friday in Geneva.
Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians.
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.
Read more
More
Up to 60,000 Ukrainians could seek refuge in Switzerland
This content was published on
Between 50,000-60,000 Ukrainians could seek protection in Switzerland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Swiss justice minister.
This content was published on
As Switzerland prepares to host over 5,000 refugees, many schools across the country could soon be taking in children fleeing war-torn Ukraine.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF82 million for Ukraine war victims
This content was published on
The humanitarian charity has raised over CHF82.6 million ($89.1 million) as part of a public fundraising effort for Ukraine.
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.