Cyprus-Switzerland sign funding agreements on migration flows and domestic violence

Cyprus and Switzerland have signed two funding agreements for the management of migration flows on the island and for the support of the work done in order to tackle the issue of domestic violence.

An announcement by the Finance Ministry said that the first agreement has to do with the funding for the construction of the headquarters of the Asylum Service of the Deputy Ministry for Immigration and International Protection.

The agreement provides for a contribution of CHF 8.8 million (approximately €9.1 million) and will cover part of the costs for the construction of the building facilities, for publicity actions and for the exchange of know-how. It is expected to be completed in December of 2026.

The agreement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the General Directorate of Development of the Ministry of Finance, Andreas Zachariades and the Deputy Minister of Immigration of the Swiss Confederation, Christine Schraner Burgener, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Immigration and International Protection, Dr. Nicholas Ioannides and other officials.

The second is a financing agreement for new infrastructures for the prevention and treatment of family violence with the implementing body, the Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Violence in the Family (SPAVO).

The project is about the expansion of SPAVO's premises in Larnaca, Nicosia and Limassol districts. The total budget of the project amounts to CHF 2.08 million (approx. €2.2 million) and will be 100% financed.

The agreement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the General Directorate of Development of the Ministry of Finance Andreas Zachariades and the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation Christoph Burgener.

Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Marilena Evangelou and members of the Board of Directors of SPAVO were present in the signing of the agreement.

The agreements are part of the two Framework Agreements signed between the two countries.

The first Framework Agreement, amounting to CHF 10.0 million (approx. €10.4 million), provides for the support of measures in migration and additional funds are expected to be made available. The second one aims at the Reduction of Economic and Social Inequalities in the European Union for the amount of CHF 5.2 million (approximately €5.4 million).

(Source: PIO)