Health care and drinking water supply are priority areas of cooperation between Switzerland and the Republic of Moldova for the years 2014-2017, according to Cooperation Strategy 2014-2017, released today by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In the next four years, the amount of financial assistance provided by Switzerland to Moldova doubled, amounting CHF 55 million (EUR 46 million), compared to CHF 30 million (EUR 24 million), investments made in Moldovan-Swiss projects from 2010 to 2013.
‘This strategy is a testimony of Switzerland’s commitment to support the Republic of Moldova on long term. Through it, we try to provide more stability and continuity’ said Christian Schoenenberger, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, at the opening of the event.
Santi Vege, the head of the CIS Division of SDC Switzerland, made a brief presentation of the priorities of the new Swiss strategy. ‘The results obtained during 2010-2013 in maternal and child health and drinking water supply for the population in rural areas of Moldova has motivated us to set more ambitious objectives’ she said.
Under the new strategy, the Swiss Government will continue to support health care reforms, focusing on the development of regionalized paediatric emergency care service and youth-friendly health centres created across the country. However, it is to expand its support in two new areas, being in priority for the health system of the Republic of Moldova, namely prevention of non-communicable diseases and integration of mental health services in primary care assistance.
Referring to the Moldovan-Swiss collaboration in health sector, Andrei Usatai, Minister of Health said: ‘Cooperation between Moldova and Switzerland was very important in the last 10 years. Following regionalization in neonatology and paediatric emergency care service development, infant mortality decreased, and mother mortality remains stable, these indicators being very important for our country. This contribution of the Swiss Government is recognized and appreciated in Moldova’.
Regarding drinking water supply for population in rural areas of the Republic of Moldova, the Swiss support, there were built decentralized drinking water supply systems and environmental sanitation facilities in the Center region of the country. Coming up with successful practices, optimization of costs and quality standards, Swiss models were integrated into Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy of the Republic of Moldova approved in 2014 and is recommended for small rural communities that cannot connect to centralized systems. Since 2014, such projects will be funded throughout the Republic of Moldova.
‘SDC has always supported us and we can say that this agency is a leader in the Republic of Moldova in water supply and sanitation sector. Citizens have received not only financial support and technical assistance, but also new models for water and sanitation systems management. Swiss experts have supported us when we developed the Water Law, second legislation and updated Water Supply Strategy’ said Gheorghe Salaru, Minister of Environment.
The new strategy reveals another area of great interest for the Republic of Moldova, namely exploitation of migration’s potential for economic and social development of the country. ‘During meetings with Moldovan diaspora in Italy, I saw the desire to return, especially the wish to return not to the starting point, but to continue the experience began abroad and to contribute to the development of the country. Through this chapter in the new Strategy, Switzerland is practically the first donor to the Republic of Moldova recognizing directly and being ready to invest in development’s innovative aspects related to migration, focusing on its benefits. I am sure that every Swiss franc that will be invested in this area will be able to bring tens of francs, in terms of investments, infrastructure and educational projects’, said Victor Lutenco, head of the Bureau for Diaspora Relations.
The Republic of Moldova receives assistance from Switzerland from 2000. As part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland (FDFA), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) implements the Swiss development cooperation policy in over 50 states, primarily aimed at promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction.
