Switzerland to allocate funds for Ukraine's reconstruction projects

MOSCOW. Oct 3 (Interfax) - Switzerland will allocate 1.5 billion Swiss francs for Ukraine's reconstruction projects with the involvement of Swiss private businesses for the next four years, Ukrainian media quoted the Ukrainian Reconstruction Ministry's press service as saying.

"Switzerland will allocate funding and attract the private sector to Ukraine's reconstruction projects. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Reconstruction Minister Alexei Kuleba and Swiss Ambassador in Kiev Felix Baumann reached an agreement to this effect," it said.

"The Early Recovery projects remain [...] an important focus of our cooperation, as part of which the Swiss government plans to allocate 1.5 billion Swiss francs for reconstruction projects in Ukraine for the next four years," Baumann was quoted by the press service as saying.

Of these, 1 billion Swiss francs will be channeled, as before, to the sectors of self-government and as humanitarian aid, he said.

"The remaining amount will be earmarked to reconstruction programs involving the Swiss private sector. To emphasize the seriousness of our intentions, we will have our representative here who will be responsible for the implementation of this project. A private sector delegation is now working in Kiev to familiarize itself with Ukraine's needs in the areas for which the ministry is responsible in the medium and long term," Baumann said.