Deiss pledges to strengthen Swiss aid to Africa
The Swiss foreign minister, Joseph Deiss, has pledged to strengthen the Swiss Development Agency's aid programme in Africa.
Livio Zanolari, a spokesman for the Swiss foreign ministry, said Deiss outlined his plans in a speech at the Ambassadors conference in the Ghanaian capital of Accra.
Deiss told delegates that the strengthening of aid would benefit both Africa and Switzerland.
He explained that by alleviating poverty, which often leads to conflict, the numbers of refugees fleeing Africa to seek asylum in Europe and Switzerland may diminish.
Deiss added that Switzerland would endeavour to establish partnerships with other European countries, international organisations and African nations to improve their aid programme.
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