Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland to allocate $14 million for the Donbas
The Governments of Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland announced the launch of the project which will provide for $14 million in aid to the Donbas, stated the website of the United Nations Development Program or UNDP.
"The conflict in eastern Ukraine, dragging into its fifth year, has had a significant impact on civilians, including over 3,300 men, women and children killed, up to 9,000 injured since 2014, 1.5 million people internally displaced and many others facing the challenges of living in conflict-affected areas,” the statement reads.
The project is called "Good Governance and Citizen Engagement for Justice, Security, Environmental Protection and Social Cohesion in Eastern Ukraine." The initiative will strengthen the region’s governance and promote social cohesion until 2022 under the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Program.
The UN hopes that Denmark’s contribution of $9 million, Sweden’s contribution of $3 million and Switzerland’s contribution of $2 million mark the beginning of efforts to resolve these key issues in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
"This breakdown in trust can only be overcome by job creation, poverty alleviation, anti-corruption measures, law enforcement and judicial reform, and the promotion of human rights,” the statement reads.