19.05.2016 —
Press release
EDA
The Colombian government and FARC rebels have issued a joint statement stipulating that the final agreement on ending the conflict and building sustainable and long lasting peace in Colombia is to be deposited in Switzerland. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) welcomes this statement. The FDFA has been providing specialised expertise for the negotiations between the Colombian government and FARC rebels.
19.05.2016 —
Press release
EDA
On 23 and 24 May 2016, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, will attend the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul and travel on to Lebanon to visit projects supported by Switzerland to provide Syrian refugees with concrete help. On 26 and 27 May, Mr Burkhalter will travel to Argentina and Uruguay for bilateral talks and will meet the descendants of Swiss emigrants in Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay.
25.04.2016 —
Press release
EDA
There has been some success in the fight against malaria since the turn of the millennium – not least thanks to Switzerland's activities in this field. Nevertheless, more than 400,000 people still die from the disease every year, mostly children under five. At the event to mark World Malaria Day on 25 April 2016, SDC Director General Manuel Sager therefore appealed to all partners involved to continue the fight against malaria with the same shared determination. Only in this way can the goal of the international community be achieved to reduce the incidence of this deadly disease by 90% by 2030, he said.
14.04.2016 —
Press release
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter received the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, on Thursday in Bern. They discussed developments in the Middle East and Switzerland's support for UNRWA.
14.04.2016 —
Press release
EDA
Today in Lucerne, in order to enhance its work in vocational education and training – always a priority of Swiss aid – Switzerland, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), created a donor committee with Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. The four countries will pool their expertise and support projects in developing countries to improve economic prospects for young people and enable them to access local labour markets.
05.04.2016 —
Press release
EDA
At the 5th Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) in Stockholm, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter stressed that a long-term commitment by all the actors is the only way to eliminate the causes of fragility and violent conflict. The participants at the meeting agreed to continue the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, a reform agenda designed to promote both peacebuilding and the development of state structures and institutions. Switzerland is already strongly committed in fragile contexts and is going to expand its aid programmes in line with the Federal Council's Dispatch on International Cooperation 2017-2020. The aim is also to prevent young people in particular from succumbing to the temptations of violent extremism.
Der Bundesrat hat heute die «Strategie Nachhaltige Entwicklung 2016-2019» verabschiedet. Die Strategie beinhaltet Visionen für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung der Schweiz, nennt konkrete Ziele bis 2030 sowie die entsprechenden Massnahmen. Die Strategie, die Teil der Botschaft zur Legislaturplanung 2015-2019 ist, zeigt zudem auf, was die Schweiz in der laufenden Legislaturperiode zur neuen globalen «Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung» beiträgt.
Rémadji Mani est chargée de programme national au Tchad pour la DDC depuis 2014. Elle est l’invitée de la Conférence annuelle 2015 sur le thème de l’Agenda 2030. Elle s’exprime dans le cadre de la table ronde sur l’universalité dans la pratique de la gestion de l’eau en Tchad et en Suisse. Nous l’avons rencontrée en prémisse de la conférence.
22.01.2016 —
Press release
Agenda2030
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was the key focus area at this year's annual conference of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The 17 goals of the global 2030 Agenda will play a decisive role in Swiss development policy over the coming years. The speakers and experts dealt with different aspects of the Agenda: the negotiations, the implementation and financing, and what it means for Switzerland. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter spoke specifically of how it relates to Swiss policy. The opening speech was made by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
18.12.2015 —
Press release
Agenda2030
In September 2015 the 193 member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which Switzerland also recognises. Today the Federal Council has initiated the preparatory work needed for Switzerland to actively work towards implementing these objectives.
In September 2015, the largest ever gathering of heads of state and government in the history of the UN took place in New York to adopt the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. All states, including Switzerland, are called upon to contribute to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals over the next 15 years.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted unanimously in New York in September 2015 at the largest-ever meeting of heads of state and government. This milestone sets out the path for the future and provides the model for sustainable development for the next 15 years.
Are we living in a better world today than we were 15 years ago? In order to cut worldwide poverty in half by 2015 and promote global development, the international community established eight Millennium Development Goals in the year 2000. The deadline has come and gone and it is time to take stock.