Federal Councilor Cassis tells Ukraine further Swiss support for Berset during Covid time: “There were moments that were relentless”

In his closing speech at the second Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in London on Thursday, Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis pledged further support to Ukraine. Switzerland will help both in emergency situations and in reconstruction, the foreign minister said.

In his speech, Cassis stressed the importance of parallel support to Ukraine in humanitarian aid, reconstruction and reform.

On February 24, 2022, on the orders of President Vladimir Putin, the country was invaded by Russian troops with the official goal of demilitarization and “denazification”. Putin is fundamentally questioning the right to Ukrainian state sovereignty.

The Swiss foreign minister said that as part of the humanitarian aid, refugees from Ukraine had been received, relief supplies had been delivered and insisted on compliance with international humanitarian law. “We will continue this as long as necessary,” Cassis said, according to the text of the speech.

When it comes to reconstruction, the tasks faced by the Ukrainian people are enormous, Cassis said. To stimulate reconstruction, risk insurance is needed so that the private sector is willing to invest, according to the Bundesrat.

According to a statement from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), Switzerland, together with the EU Commission, Britain, Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed a corresponding letter of intent at the Ukraine conference and called on the so-called “Ukraine Recovery Guarantee Facility”.

Switzerland helps with reforms

Switzerland is already supporting reconstruction projects in Ukraine. According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the focus is on “repairing damaged civilian infrastructure”.

At the same time, the federal government is helping to evaluate war-related damage in Ukraine and build a database to better prioritize repairs.

In his speech in London, Cassis also welcomed the introduction of a damage register, which was approved by the Council of Europe last month. “Ukraine cannot be rebuilt without acknowledging and compensating the victims,” ​​he said.

Switzerland is also active in reform. According to the foreign minister, it is supporting Ukraine in setting up its anti-corruption authorities.

Switzerland also offers support in the field of digital technologies. This is about online access to public services “from ordering a new passport to registering a start-up,” as the FDFA wrote. The reconstruction must be “transparent and understandable” for Ukrainians, Cassis said.

Experience in mine clearance

Switzerland also makes a significant contribution to mine clearance, according to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). This is an essential contribution to reconstruction, said the foreign minister. During a panel on mine clearance on Wednesday, Cassis referred to Switzerland’s long experience in this field.

Overall, according to the FDFA, Switzerland plans to provide at least 1.8 billion Swiss francs to Ukraine and the region over the next six years.

The second Ukraine conference has already taken place in London. The impetus for a broad agreement on the political reconstruction process in Ukraine came in Lugano in July 2022.

At that time, 59 states and international organizations discussed the core values, which were subsequently formulated in the Lugano Declaration and the Lugano Principles. (sda)