YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC has approved CHF 960’000 in aid for Armenia to improve border communities' resilience towards crisis situations. Partnering with the World Food Programme (WFP) for implementation, Switzerland provides immediate humanitarian and long-term economic support to Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik with the “Resilience and Economic Recovery of Border Communities in Armenia – REBCA” project.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation signed the REBCA project today with the World Food Programme (WFP).

Ambassador of Switzerland in Armenia Lukas Rosenkranz delivered remarks at the signing ceremony.  

Photos by Tatev Duryan

“Armenia's recent progress with its socio-economic reform agenda has been challenged by external factors such as COVID-19, military conflict in 2020, and international economic shocks particularly from the war in Ukraine. Furthermore, the military escalation of last September had significant impact on 6 communities in the three Eastern regions of Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik.' These municipalities include over 130 settlements, with a total population of over 130'000 people.

40 % of these settlements and 70 % of their population live in the immediate vicinity of the border. As a result of the mentioned military escalation, around 90'000 persons still face serious problems today, including with regards to food-security and economic livelihood.

With the project that we are launching today, Switzerland, together with the project's implementing partner, the World Food Program, intends to protect and reestablish livelihoods of people living in border areas in Armenia, in close cooperation with the Armenian authorities, among them the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. The project will target 15 border settlement of Vardenis, Sisian and Jermuk communities; Switzerland will spend 960'000 CHF (around 1 Mio USD) for this purpose. I wish to underline that this project stands in the tradition of Swiss humanitarian assistance to Armenia, which started with the Spitak earthquake of 1988. Regarding this humanitarian engagement, I would like to recall that Switzerland is a long-standing major contributor to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its mandate in Armenia and in other countries and that the Swiss Confederation has partnered for many years with the Swiss Red Cross on behalf of vulnerable families in Armenia. Furthermore, the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency is also closely cooperating with Armenian Ministry of Emergency, supporting Armenia in building up a local and central system for rescue and response. So I am very happy to launch this project today with the signature of the necessary formalities. The project translates principles and objectives of Switzerland's foreign policy and development cooperation into action. With its Swiss Cooperation Programme for the South Caucasus 2022 - 2025, Switzerland supports the transition of Armenia towards a market economy and inclusive economic development,” the Swiss Ambassador said.