UN aid chief urges Switzerland to do more to promote peace
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths says Switzerland should get more involved in humanitarian aid and international dialogue.
“Switzerland stands for the humanitarian hub in Geneva, for global operations. We need this Switzerland now, we need it more than ever,” he declared in an interview with the Swiss Tamedia newspaper group published on Thursday.
During his 50 years of professional experience, the world has “never been as angry as it is today”, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs said.
Ongoing crises in Sudan, Myanmar, Syria, Gaza and Ukraine demonstrated that global values of humanity were at stake, he said.
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“And Switzerland in particular stands for these values,” he continued. “That’s why I say to Switzerland: We need you! We need you as a centre of peacebuilding.”
The UN emergency relief coordinator is convinced that Switzerland could do more than most other countries. “Switzerland is a unique brand and has unique opportunities, because of its values and discretion,” he said, for example in Geneva, talks are also possible with “dubious groups”.
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While there are more countries today than in the past that are involved in international mediation, such as Qatar or Turkey, Griffiths said that Switzerland has the “tradition and skills of mediation”.
“Just because more states are active in mediation does not take the pressure off Switzerland. Switzerland should stand up and assert itself,” he added.
Adapted from German by DeepL/kp/sb
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