Switzerland launches new cooperation strategy with Moldova

Chisinau, 19 April /MOLDPRES/- Switzerland has launched a new Cooperation Strategy with Moldova due to be carried out in 2018-2021. The government of the Swiss Confederation will earmark 46.9 million Swiss francs (39.8 million euros or 797 million Moldovan lei) to implement the programme.

The strategy is coordinated at country level by the Swiss Cooperation Office, which is the local office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and representative of the Swiss Embassy in Moldova.

Over the next four years, SDC in close cooperation with the Chisinau government, the private sector and civil society aim to contribute to increasing the welfare of the people and the cohesion of the Moldovan society, giving priority to the social inclusion of marginalized groups.

Given the country’s development priorities, Swiss technical and financial assistance will be provided in three areas: local governance, health, economic development and employment. Programmes and development projects will be implemented with the Swiss support, which will cover all regions of the country. The SDC will make special efforts to ensure that people from disadvantaged groups get involved and benefit from the results of these programmes and projects.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has been operating in Moldova since 2000 under the bilateral agreement on humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation signed by the government of the Swiss Confederation and Moldova. SDC is a component part of the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.

(Reporter L. Grubîi, editor M. Jantovan)