In a letter to Kyrgyz Minister of Foreign Affaires Ruslan Kazakbayev, Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Federal Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs, reported about the opening of diplomatic mission in autumn of 2012. “Opening of the Embassy in Bishkek is an expression of a firm commitment of Switzerland to develop our further relations in political, economic and cultural fields, as well as technical cooperation. We are confident that the Swiss Embassy will contribute to further strengthening of relations that our countries built over the last twenty years,” the letter says.

Kyrgyzstan has been receiving development assistance from Switzerland since 1994. First reconnaissance missions of Swiss international development organizations started in 1993. An official cooperation agreement between the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and Swiss Confederation was signed on November 14, 1994. In 1995 Swiss Liaison Office was opened in Bishkek. The same year the Kyrgyz Republic was declared a priority country for the Swiss assistance. In 1997 the juridical status of the Liaison Office was further defined. It became officially known as a Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO), representing two federal agencies – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco).

Annual budget of Swiss Cooperation in Kyrgyzstan is about US $13-14 million. Over the last 18 years Switzerland provided around $250 million to Kyrgyzstan. Most of the projects are implemented by multilateral partners and international organizations as well as Swiss NGOs and companies.

List of projects supported by Switzerland under implementation:

1. Heath:
   • Sector Wide Approach Project in health care (SWAP)
   • Community Action for Health Project (CAHP)
   • Health Care Waste Management in Kyrgyz hospitals (HCWM)
2. Public Sector Reforms and Infrastructure:
   • Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Capacity Building in Public Finance Management Reform and Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Programme in the Kyrgyz Republic (Trust Fund)
   • Technical Assistance in Financial Programming/macroeconomic analysis and forecasting
   • Legal Assistance to Rural Citizens (LARC)
   • Strengthening Voice and Accountability
   • Karakol Water Supply Project
   • Bishkek Water Supply Project
   • Osh and Jalal-Abad Water and Wastewater Rehabilitation Project
   • Public Utilities Coaching Project
3. Private sector development:
   • Investment Climate Advisory Services in the Kyrgyz Republic (ICAS)
   • Azerbaijan-Central Asia Financial Markets Infrastructure Advisory Services Project (ACAFI)
   • Trade Promotion Programme in the Kyrgyz Republic (ITC)
   • Business Advisory Services Programme (BAS)
   • Kyrgyzstan Housing Microfinance Advisory Services project
   • Organic Cotton Production and Trade Promotion Programme (Biocotton)
4. Other activities:
   • Regional Arts and Culture Programme in Central Asia (RACP)