Switzerland wants to expand cooperation with African countries
Published: Thursday, Mar 21st 2024, 17:40
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Switzerland is striving for greater cooperation with its African partners. This was emphasized by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs following a trip to East Africa by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis.
In Kenya, Mr. Cassis announced an expansion of bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of science, double taxation and climate protection, as announced by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on Thursday.
Together with his Ethiopian counterpart Taye Atske Selassie, the foreign minister also laid the symbolic foundation stone for the construction of a new embassy in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. According to the FDFA, the modernization of the network of representations is an instrument for the expansion of cooperation between Switzerland and Africa. "This building clearly shows the importance Switzerland attaches to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa," said Mr. Cassis at the inauguration on Tuesday, according to the FDFA.
The trip provided important insights for the new Sub-Saharan Africa strategy, which is currently being developed, the FDFA wrote. This strategy will replace the Federal Council's first Sub-Saharan Africa Strategy 2021-2024, which provided for the expansion of Switzerland's cooperation with African partners.
Conflicts and humanitarian aid
Cassis' trip to East Africa officially came to an end on Thursday with a visit to the Kenyan capital Nairobi, according to the FDFA press release. The Foreign Minister had previously visited Ethiopia and Djibouti. Cassis' talks with the presidents and foreign ministers of the three countries and the chair of the African Union Commission focused on global and regional security issues. According to the FDFA, these issues are also important for Switzerland because of its seat on the UN Security Council.
In his talks, Mr Cassis emphasized the importance of finding peaceful solutions to regional and global conflicts. With regard to the war in Ukraine, possible steps towards a peace conference in Switzerland were discussed. The situation in the Middle East was also discussed.
According to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the conflict in Sudan, which has been ongoing for almost a year, was also an important topic of discussion. Switzerland supports the peace efforts there.
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