A number of Ukrainian-Swiss bilateral documents were signed during the state visit of President of the Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga to Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Partnership between Ukraine and the Swiss Confederation on the implementation of the Swiss Cooperation Program for 2020-2023 in Ukraine.
It goes about cooperation in the implementation of technical and humanitarian assistance projects under the Swiss Cooperation Program with Ukraine for three years.
The document also envisages the main directions of further development of relations between the two countries, cooperation on a wide range of issues on the agenda of international forums.
In addition, the parties reaffirm their willingness to hold annual consultations in order to assess the progress in the implementation of the agreements reached and to exchange views on topical issues of international relations.
The Presidents of the two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine and the Swiss Confederation on the preparation and content of the 2022 Conference on Reforms in Ukraine. The document defines the main directions and time limits of preparation for holding the V Conference on Reforms in Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation.
In the presence of the Presidents, Head of the State Border Service Serhiy Deyneko, Head of the State Migration Service Maksym Sokolyuk and the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Ukraine Claude Wild signed the Implementation Protocol to the Agreement between Ukraine and the Swiss Confederation on readmission of June 7, 2017.
Its conclusion will start the application of the Agreement between Ukraine and Switzerland on readmission of June 7, 2017. The implementation of this international agreement will have a positive impact on the development of good neighborly relations between the two countries, determine on the basis of reciprocity rapid and effective procedures for identification and safe and organized return of persons who do not comply with the rules of entry, exit and stay in their territories.
With the implementation of the Agreement on readmission, the provisions of the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Swiss Federal Council on visa facilitation of June 7, 2017 will also be implemented regulating conditions and procedure for simplified visa issuance for Ukrainian citizens, including multiple visas, expanding the categories of Ukrainian citizens enjoying visa facilitation, and abolishing visa fees for certain categories of citizens of Ukraine. It is expected that the implementation of the provisions of the Agreement will contribute to the further development of friendly relations between Ukraine and the Swiss Confederation, the development of economic, humanitarian, cultural, scientific and other ties between the states.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation on the implementation of the project "Return of Assets and Integrity of the Public Sector in Ukraine" (phase 1) was signed by Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova, Director of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine Artem Sytnyk and Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Ukraine Claude Wild.
The document lays the foundation for the implementation of the technical assistance project under the Cooperation Program with Ukraine for 2020-2023, the overall goal of which is to prevent corruption and promote systematic and effective return of stolen assets that can be invested for development by improving the quality and efficiency of Ukraine's law enforcement system.
The main goal of the project is to increase the efficiency of the Office of the Prosecutor General and NABU in using appropriate tools, methods for the investigation and prosecution of criminal corruption offenses, as well as other crimes committed in the financial sphere.
