“In this challenging situation, we not only had to deal with our own insecurities but also with the feelings and reactions of our employees, our partners and acquaintances.”
Roos is now working in Switzerland to help secure the evacuation of around 230 local staff members and their families.
“I am concerned for our Afghan colleagues and their families and for all other Afghans who currently feel threatened in their own country.”
Roos thanked foreign office officials in Switzerland, the Swiss embassies in Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Qatar, plus the German “evacuation partners” for getting the SDC team to safety.
So far, the Swiss government has refused to open the country’s doors to large numbers of Afghan refugees despite growing pressure to ease asylum conditions in light of the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
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French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
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A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
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Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
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The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
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Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
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The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
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A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
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Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
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Swiss foreign ministry staff flown out of Kabul
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The three remaining Swiss employees at the cooperation office in Kabul have been evacuated, the foreign minister has confirmed.
Last Swiss cooperation office staff to leave Kabul
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Switzerland will withdraw the remaining Swiss staff at its aid cooperation bureau in Kabul as soon as possible, as Afghan situation worsens.
Pressure grows on Switzerland to accept Afghan refugees
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Several Swiss cities have added their voice to growing demands for Switzerland to open its doors to refugees from Afghanistan.
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Switzerland has suspended repatriations to Afghanistan “until further notice owing to the changed situation in the country”.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.