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Delegate for humanitarian aid, Manuel Bessler, appointed to the Advisory Group of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund

01.09.2014 — Press release EDA
The Federal Council Delegate for Humanitarian Aid, Manuel Bessler, has been appointed to the Advisory Group of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Mr Bessler is the first Swiss national to become a member of this body that was set up to accelerate and improve the efficiency of international aid to humanitarian crises.


Water footprint: successful Swiss commitment to the new ISO standard on water usage

01.09.2014 — Press release EDA
For five years, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Federal Office for the Environment and the Federal Office for Agriculture actively supported work on a new standard to ensure that water usage worldwide can be assessed according to uniform criteria. The new norm is intended to help both identify the impacts of water usage, and implement measures to use water more efficiently. The ISO standard for conducting a water footprint assessment was adopted by the organisation's member states in July, and presented to a broad audience today at World Water Week in Stockholm.


The SDC launches a new training programme in the area of international cooperation

01.09.2014 — Press release EDA
Alongside its junior staff programmes for the diplomatic and consular services, the FDFA is from 2015 offering a training programme for junior staff in international cooperation. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is today launching a call for applications for the first of these training courses that begins next spring.


Switzerland steps up aid to fight Ebola epidemic in West Africa

01.09.2014 — Press release EDA
Switzerland is stepping up its aid to fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Swiss Humanitarian Aid has committed an additional CHF 1 million to fund various direct operations in Liberia. A specially chartered plane will leave on Monday with 14 tonnes of medical supplies on board. In addition, the agreement between Swiss Humanitarian Aid and the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) has been activated. Two specialists will leave Switzerland on Monday on a mission to assess the needs on the ground.


Climate change knows no borders

29.08.2014 — Press release EDA
At this year's Annual Development Cooperation Conference in Geneva, several speakers including the state secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Yves Rossier, took the floor to stress the dangers that climate change poses to the progress made in the fight against poverty and for sustainable development. Since this is a global phenomenon, the speakers called on all countries of the North and South to develop solutions together to address this major challenge.


21 partnership projects nearing completion

Philippe Nendaz with Agata Stwora, head teacher of the Polish special needs school in Łodygowice.

20.08.2014 — Article EB

In summer 2014 the majority of the 21 Swiss-Polish partnership projects will come to a close. An evaluation of 16 Swiss project partners has concluded that the majority of the projects were carried out successfully and that the exchange of experience and knowledge was enriching for both sides.


Switzerland steps up humanitarian aid for victims in Iraq

15.08.2014 — Press release EDA
Atrocities committed against civilians – specifically by members of the Islamic State group – are precipitating a serious humanitarian crisis. Switzerland is extremely concerned and is responding by offering material assistance to the victims, condemning the serious violations of international law and calling on Iraq to take appropriate measures. Switzerland is currently scaling up its humanitarian assistance.


President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter launches the Democracy Without Borders initiative at the Locarno International Film Festival

04.08.2014 — Press release EDA
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, will launch the FDFA's Democracy Without Borders initiative as part of the Open Doors section of the Locarno International Film Festival on 10 August. Swiss personalities, who are well-known nationally or internationally, act as ambassadors for Swiss development cooperation projects, increasing their impact on democracy, peace and human rights. The initiative will kick off with an opening speech by President Burkhalter and the screening of the Ethiopian film "Difret", followed by a panel discussion on the issue of impunity for violence against women and girls.


Switzerland commits a further CHF 500,000 to fight Ebola epidemic in West Africa

23.07.2014 — Press release EDA
The SDC is allocating CHF 500,000 to support Médecins Sans Frontières-Switzerland (MSF-Suisse) in its work to combat the Ebola virus in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This further contribution to MSF-Suisse is in addition to the annual amount the SDC gives to it and also to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is coordinating the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.



Switzerland takes part in the conference against forced marriage and female genital mutilation

22.07.2014 — Press release EDA
"A future free from female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage" – this is the central goal of the Girl Summit 2014, which is co-hosted by the British government and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in London on 22 July 2014. Ambassador Nicole Wyrsch, special envoy for human rights issues at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), is representing Switzerland at the summit.


Switzerland offers the Ukrainian authorities support in dealing with the aftermath of the plane crash tragedy

18.07.2014 — Press release EDA
On behalf of Switzerland, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, expressed his consternation over the plane crash tragedy in the Ukraine and offered his condolences to the countries whose citizens were among the victims. Switzerland also extended an offer to the Ukrainian authorities to send experts to help to investigate the cause of the crash and to identify the victims.

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