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Protection of the Swiss Embassy in Tripoli – mandate of the DDPS detachment renewed

04.07.2012

At its meeting on Wednesday 4 July 2012, the Federal Council decided to extend the deployment of a special detachment of the Swiss Armed Forces to protect the Swiss Embassy in Tripoli for a further six months (August 2012 – January 2013). According to the government, the security situation in Libya remains volatile. It has informed the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and the Security Policy Committees of its decision.

With the federal decree of 15 March 2012, the United Federal Assembly passed the Federal Council’s proposal to charge a Swiss Armed Forces detachment with the protection of the Swiss Embassy in Tripoli. The detachment is composed of personnel from the Special Forces Command of the Swiss Armed Forces, in this case, Reconnaissance Detachment 10 and the Special Detachment of the Military Police. 

Article 1, paragraph 2 of the Federal Decree limits the deployment to six months. However, the Federal Council is authorised to extend the mandate for a further six months if the security situation in Libya demands this. A further extension would require the renewed authorisation of the United Federal Assembly. 

The protection force currently at the Embassy in Tripoli has proved its worth. The deployment of a detachment of the Swiss Armed Forces has shown to be an economical and appropriate solution. There is therefore no reason to resort to the services of a private security company.

Excluding the costs of salaries (which are covered by the DDPS), expenditure related to this deployment for the first six months is covered by the FDFA and amounts to about CHF 540,000 to the end of July, less than the CHF 600,000 budgeted. For the new six-month period – providing the number of personnel deployed remains unchanged and there are no unforeseen extra expenses – the expenses, to be covered by the FDFA, are expected to amount to CHF 450,000. 

For further information: 

Jean-Marc Crevoisier
Head of FDFA Information
Tel. +41 79 763 84 10 or +41 31 322 31 53 

Silvia Steidle
Press Spokesperson DDPS
Tel.: +41 79 211 61 05 o +41 31 324 50 86 



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