Amherd talks to UN Secretary-General about agenda for peace
Published: Tuesday, Mar 12th 2024, 22:40
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President Viola Amherd also used her stay in New York for a series of meetings with representatives of the United Nations (UN) and other states. Among other things, Amherd spoke with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the Agenda for Peace.
In addition to her appearances at the annual session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and in the UN Security Council, the President of the Swiss Confederation spoke with Guterres about Switzerland's commitment to the UN, the agenda for peace and Switzerland's support for humanitarian demining, as the Federal Councillor said in an interview with a reporter from the Keystone-SDA news agency. The peace conference planned by Switzerland for Ukraine was also discussed.
Amherd also met the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, and Pramilla Patten, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Dossier on Sexual Violence in the Middle East Conflict. There were also meetings with the Vice Presidents of Guatemala and Vietnam as well as with ministers from numerous countries.
Equality, poverty and violence
"My meetings here were characterized by difficult topics, by all the current conflicts. In view of the global situation, I think it is all the more important that conferences like this take place. That we exchange ideas and maintain a dialog - in person," said Amherd.
In their discussions, it was clear that the connection between equality, poverty and violence was a fact. And that there are setbacks. "This is doubly tragic because it often goes hand in hand with violence against women." Switzerland has not yet managed to achieve equality in all areas either.
The world should also not close its eyes to the fact that sexual violence is used as a weapon of war in conflicts such as in Ukraine, Gaza or Sudan. There is an urgent need for progress in this area. "It is very important to document these incidents, to take note of them and to talk about them. I think this is the first step towards doing something about it."
©Keystone/SDA
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