Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (R) has been attending his first UN General Assembly along with Swiss President Alain Berset (L)
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Multilateralism is in crisis but remains important for Switzerland, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has told the press in New York.
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Speaking at his first UN General Assembly, Cassis said multilateralism protects countries like Switzerland that are not big military powers. But he said he sensed a certain lassitude and inefficiency in international cooperation, which is why Switzerland is supporting reform effortsExternal link by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
To this end, Cassis on Wednesday signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) providing CHF50 million ($51.76 million) per year of funding for the next three years, according to the foreign affairs ministry. Cassis said this was a sign that Switzerland believes in a multilateral approach, but also that he hoped the Swiss donation would help make the UNDP more efficient.
Attending the UN General Assembly with Swiss President Alain Berset, Cassis drew a positive assessment of his numerous bilateral meetings. He said a meeting with his Russian counterpart had been “frank and constructive”, despite tension over a spying row.
Cassis also attended a conference on Syria, where he pleaded for a political solution to the crisis and recalled Switzerland’s strong involvement with helping the conflict’s victims. He said the Swiss humanitarian operation in Syria was the biggest in its history.
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