People show solidarity in Geneva in July for a young Eritrean asylum seeker who died in detention in Geneva
Keystone
Swiss Ambassador Pietro Mona has defended the UN migration pact despite fierce criticism from parliament. He says it will enable small Switzerland to better assert its interests in the future. He also has concerns about the country’s credibility.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Español
es
El embajador suizo defiende el pacto migratorio de la ONU
The pactExternal link gives Switzerland an additional instrument that will help in negotiations on readmission agreements with countries such as Eritrea, said the ambassador for development, forced displacement and migration in an interview with newspaper BlickExternal link on Monday. Mona was the Swiss delegation leader in the negotiations on the 34-page Global Compact for Migration in New York.
“As a small country, Switzerland relies on international cooperation. The migration pact is the first international document stating that countries are required to cooperate in the return of their citizens. The fact that the country already respects the 23 goals in the agreement should by no means be a hindrance to its participation,” he said.
For Mona, Switzerland’s credibility is at stake. “We cannot ask other states to adhere to something we do not want to commit to.”
The non-binding migration pact, to be officially signed at a conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, on December 10-11, is highly controversial. The United States, Austria, Hungary and Australia have decided to not get involved. Poland could follow suit.
After some hesitation, the Swiss government said last month it would sign the pact while clarifying its position on detaining minors from the age of 15 pending deportation, which Swiss law allows but the migration pact discourages.
Since then, committees in both parliamentary chambers have called for delaying the Swiss signature and giving parliament – and perhaps voters in a referendum – the chance to decide the matter.
Some politicians, especially from the right, complain that the pact could blur the line between legal and illegal migration and undermine countries’ sovereignty.
‘Emotional issue’
“Migration is a very emotional issue, we’re aware of that,” Mona said. “The pact is a result of negotiations among 192 states. It’s understandable that not everyone in parliament agrees with all the elements. But we have given everything to get as good a result as possible.” The pact corresponds to the interests of Switzerland, he insisted.
The text for the Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly MigrationExternal link was approved in July at the UN General Assembly in New York. The pact sets out principles for dealing with refugees and migrants. Twenty-three targets were set, followed by possible measures.
The pact deviates from Swiss law in one point: the detention pending deportation of those under the age of 15. This is legal in Switzerland, but the migration pact recommends it be avoided.
More
More
The pioneers of a more open migration policy
This content was published on
Forty years ago, 3,000 people gathered on Parliament Square, demanding a more humane policy towards foreigners based on equal rights.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
This content was published on
Berset, who co-presented the plan with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, called it a “great triumph of cooperation in multilateral diplomacy that the negotiations on the pact will bear fruit in these difficult times”. Berset, the Swiss home affairs minister who also holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, praised the pact on Wednesday as…
Swiss to remove limits on workers from Romania and Bulgaria
This content was published on
A safeguard clause that limits the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers in Switzerland to 1,000 a year will be lifted in June 2019.
Swiss project recruits more migrant and refugee nurses
This content was published on
The SESAME project, set up three years ago, has seen 444 people graduate from its nursing training programme. Nine out of 10 graduates have found work within the health sector, it was announced on Thursday. Given the success of the scheme, it is envisioned that hundreds of migrants will be put through training every year…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.