Flurry of meetings mark Swiss ministers’ WEF presence
Swiss government ministers have held a series of bilateral meetings on the first day of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos.
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer said he discussed plans with his counterpart from Saudi Arabia, Mohammed al-Jadaan, to boost financial relations with the Arab kingdom. Maurer told a news conference that the case of the killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi had not been mentioned in the talks.
Maurer also met his counterparts from Israel and New Zealand on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis held separate talks with the Georgian prime minister, Mamuka Bakhtadze, and with the foreign minister of Ethiopia, Workneh Gebeyehu. The meetings focused on asylum issues and foreign investment respectively.
For their part, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Interior Minister Alain Berset had meetings with government ministers from Chile, Egypt and South Africa.
Tuesday saw the opening of a new meeting centre, the House of SwitzerlandExternal link, for Swiss government representatives and business leaders.
The House of Switzerland in the centre of Davos will host four official events over the next few days.
More
More
WEF in 60 seconds: Day 1
This content was published on
Jessica Davis Plüss and Dominique Soguel-dit-Picard are reporting from Davos on the big issues and mood at the WEF 2019 annual meeting.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
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.
Read more
More
President praises Swiss values at WEF
This content was published on
“We reject diktats. The most commonly used word in our constitution is ‘freedom’ and we are proud of that,” said Maurer during his opening address in DavosExternal link on Tuesday morning. “We are free to accept responsibility for ourselves and others,” he explained. Maurer, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency alongside his role as the…
Swiss firms attend Saudi forum despite Khashoggi death
This content was published on
Few CEOs, but big Swiss businesses are still very present at Saudi Arabia’s controversial Future Investment Initiative summit this week.
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has summoned the deputy ambassador of the Saudi Arabian embassy over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
This content was published on
Making it on the participants list at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting is no easy feat. Who made the cut this year?
WEF 2019: Where global interdependence goes from here
This content was published on
Global cooperation in an era of technological disruption will top this year's World Economic Forum agenda. What does it mean for Swiss companies?
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.