Swiss renew commitment to UN development agencies
The Swiss government has pledged CHF316 million ($330 million) to four United Nations development bodies.
The funds are destined for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) over the next three years.
“By supporting these organisations, Switzerland is making an effective contribution to tackling the global challenges of the 21st century,” the foreign ministryExternal link said on Wednesday.
The participation in these organisations allows Switzerland to bring in its values and interests and push ahead with the reform of the UN development system, the statement adds.
The government said it is actively supporting a major reform process of the multilateral development system to improve its efficiency and ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals are achieved.
Four years ago, Switzerland reduced its financial commitment to CHF312 million due to cuts in government spending.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.