Switzerland to provide extra CHF12 million for displaced Rohingya
Billboards in Dhaka welcome the Swiss president who is on a four-day state visit to Bangladesh
Keystone
President Alain Berset has announced that Switzerland will be increasing its financial assistance to Bangladesh for managing the Rohingya crisis. The contribution will be upped from CHF8 million ($8.58 million) to CHF20 million.
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Berset made the announcement after a meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday in Dhaka. This additional aid specifically targets the Rohingya Muslim community, several hundred thousand of whom are living in camps in Bangladesh after being persecuted in neighbouring Myanmar. According to the Associated Press, Berset said the return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in Myanmar must be voluntary.
Bangladesh is a priority aid country for Switzerland receiving around CHF35-40 million in development aidExternal link every year. On Tuesday, Berset will visit the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar district, where Switzerland is providing humanitarian aid to displaced Rohingya.
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Speaking as part of a panelExternal link at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday Maurer refuted the claim that humanitarian organisations failed to act in time in Myanmar to protect the Rohingya people despite awareness of tensions. “You rarely know when the degradation and spiral will happen. We see fragile contexts but don’t…
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Switzerland pledges extra funds to Rohingya crisis
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Switzerland has announced additional money to help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, taking its total contribution to CHF8 million ($8.1 million).
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The official visit last month was condemned by Amnesty International, which said it was “unacceptable” to receive military leaders whilst tens of thousands of refugees were being forced to flee Myanmar. The European Council last month suspended further invitations to senior Myanmar officers. Speaking to Swiss public television RTS, diplomat Paul Seger said it was…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
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.