Switzerland to provide extra CHF12 million for displaced Rohingya
Billboards in Dhaka welcome the Swiss president who is on a four-day state visit to Bangladesh
Keystone
President Alain Berset has announced that Switzerland will be increasing its financial assistance to Bangladesh for managing the Rohingya crisis. The contribution will be upped from CHF8 million ($8.58 million) to CHF20 million.
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Berset made the announcement after a meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday in Dhaka. This additional aid specifically targets the Rohingya Muslim community, several hundred thousand of whom are living in camps in Bangladesh after being persecuted in neighbouring Myanmar. According to the Associated Press, Berset said the return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in Myanmar must be voluntary.
Bangladesh is a priority aid country for Switzerland receiving around CHF35-40 million in development aidExternal link every year. On Tuesday, Berset will visit the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar district, where Switzerland is providing humanitarian aid to displaced Rohingya.
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Switzerland has announced additional money to help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, taking its total contribution to CHF8 million ($8.1 million).
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