OREANDA-NEWS. To mark the 15th anniversary of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland an exhibition of Swiss projects realized in Kyrgyzstan were presented on the 24, 25, 26 April in Bishkek.

Over 1000 representatives have been invited from the government, public institutions, international organizations, embassies, NGOs, the media and other partners with whom the Swiss Cooperation Office interacts.
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In November 1994 Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan signed an official cooperation agreement. In 1996 the Swiss Cooperation Office was opened in Bishkek to liaise with the government, coordinate and support development projects of two Federal government entities – the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. 

For over 15 years Switzerland has supported Kyrgyzstan in its transition to a market economy and pluralism. Throughout this period Switzerland has allocated more than 175 million US dollars to Kyrgyzstan in the form of technical, financial and humanitarian help in such areas as health care reform; water management and disaster risk reduction; basic infrastructure; private sector development; and public institutions and services.

For projects which are being implemented between 2007 and 2011, Switzerland annually makes available 13-14 million US dollars. Currently the Government of Switzerland is funding more than 20 projects in Kyrgyzstan. Cooperation with Kyrgyzstan is aimed at supporting a poverty reducing development through facilitating private sector-led growth, equitable access to good quality public services and in general fostering transparency, participation, responsibility as key elements of a pluralistic and economically viable state. 

For more information about Swiss projects in Kyrgyzstan please visit http://www.swisscoop.kg.