Swiss Humanitarian Aid Annual Conference: new instruments for more complex crises

President Burkhalter gave a talk at the Salle Métropole in Lausanne about humanitarian responsibility in a historical and international context and Switzerland's "humanitarian heart". Three years into the civil war, Mr Burkhalter recalled Switzerland’s contributions to Syria, totalling CHF 85 million. “The humanitarian situation is this country is catastrophic and, as is the case in other conflicts, it is the weakest members of society – children – who have been hit hardest.” In this context, he also stressed the role played by Switzerland in the renovation of schools in Syria and in countries that have taken in large numbers of refugees, such as Jordan and Lebanon.

Martin Dahinden, director-general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, spoke about the challenge of balancing the different interests Switzerland is pursuing: "as a state that is at once a humanitarian actor, a humanitarian donor, development agency and defender of its own interests, we have to strike a difficult balance between humanitarian and political action." The aim is not only to pursue a coherent development aid policy but at the same time also a coherent foreign policy. Humanitarian and political action can fulfil different mandates and nonetheless reinforce one another, noted Mr Dahinden.

Various crises and Switzerland's response to them were presented during the conference's accompanying programme: the Syrian war, which broke out exactly three years ago, was cited an an example of a man-made disaster. Besides humanitarian diplomacy, Switzerland is also involved in various projects in the region, including one aimed at giving Syrian refugee children access to education.  There were also presentations on the crisis in the Central African Republic and the most recent major emergency aid operation mounted by Swiss Humanitarian Aid in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. The head of Swiss Humanitarian Aid, Manuel Bessler, subsequently held a panel discussion with the former director-general of the ICRC, Paul Grossrieder, and the deputy director-general of Doctors without Borders, Susanna Swann, about the responsibility to uphold humanitarian principles.

Some 960 people took part in the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Annual Conference.The conference brings together Swiss humanitarian actors in a different Swiss city every year. An accompanying programme enables participants to discuss topical humanitarian issues. In addition, the conference offers Swiss Humanitarian Aid staff and members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) and of partner organisations – who frequently work in remote regions – an ideal opportunity for a personal exchange of ideas with their colleagues. SHA groups of experts hold their annual meetings immediately before the annual conference takes place.

Further information:

Swiss Humanitarian Aid
Annual Conference dossier
Dossier on Switzerland's activities on behalf of the Syrian people
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Youtube FDFA:
Speech by Didier Burkhalter, President of the Swiss Confederation (de/fr)

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