Politicians criticise cabinet on foreign aid
A cross-parliamentary group says Switzerland needs to increase its development aid to 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) by 2015.
Nearly 70 politicians from the left, right and centre of the political spectrum criticised the cabinet on Thursday for postponing a credit, which would have increased aid from the current 0.41 per cent.
The cabinet decided last month to postpone an additional credit worth SFr343 million ($312 million) even though both houses of parliament approved in principle a motion to bring the contribution closer to the United Nations 0.7 benchmark.
The government delayed the credit because of warnings that the economy is still a long way from recovery.
The parliamentarians’ group, Swiss Solidarity International, said devoting a higher percentage of GNI to development aid was not only financially defensible, but that the financial crisis made it urgent since poorest countries were being hit the hardest.
The government has already been criticised for its decision by Alliance Sud, the umbrella organisation for Swiss aid agencies.
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