In the early 1990s Switzerland recognized the newly independent state of Ukraine and since then it has been supporting Ukraine through a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation projects. In 1997 Switzerland and Ukraine signed a bilateral agreement for technical cooperation, in the framework of which the Swiss Cooperation Office was opened in Kyiv to coordinate assistance programs in Ukraine. The Swiss Cooperation Office operates on behalf of two governmental organizations - the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which is a part of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which is a part of the Swiss Federal Department for Economic Affairs.

The aim of the Swiss Cooperation Office is to support transition processes in Ukraine by:

• encouraging the democratic reform of its public institutions
• ensuring strong and sustainable development of the economy
• promoting principles of an equitable and participatory society
• deepening integration with Europe

The Swiss cooperation program in Ukraine focuses its support on four major areas:

• Local Governance and Public Services
• Reproductive Health
• Financial and Economic Sustainability
• Sustainable Energy Management
• Non-core Programme.