Swiss offer help to Lebanon after deadly blast in Beirut
An estimated 4,000 people were injured in the explosion in Beirut's port.
Keystone/Ibrahim Dirani/dar Al Mussawir
Switzerland has sent its condolences to the government of Lebanon following an explosion in the capital Beirut on Tuesday, which killed at least 100 people.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
Español
es
Suiza ofrece ayuda a Líbano tras explosión en Beirut
President Simonetta Sommaruga said Switzerland and Lebanon stood “close to each other”. She expressed her deepest sympathy to the Lebanese people and the authorities, “but above all to the injured and the families of the victims”.
In a similar vein, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis offered Swiss assistance.
More than 4,000 people, including the Swiss ambassador to Lebanon and local embassy employees, were injured in the blast, which reportedly began with an explosion at the port of Beirut.
The ambassador was admitted to hospital but returned to work on Wednesday, according to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The foreign ministry said it had no information about more Swiss victims. But the buildings of the Swiss embassy and the residence of the ambassador to Beirut were badly damaged by the explosion.
The Swiss embassy in Beirut incurred serious damage
EDA
The Lebanese president, Michel Aoun, said the government would declare a two-week state of emergency.
He said more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate had been stored unsafely in a warehouse for several years.
More
More
Switzerland-Lebanon: what they have in common
This content was published on
swissinfo.ch asks the current Swiss ambassador in Beirut to explain why that is and why the Alpine nation is so popular in Lebanon.
Moderate price growth expected for Swiss real estate market
This content was published on
Swiss property prices rose modestly in 2024, according to a quarterly barometer - a trend that is expected to remain this year.
Romeo Lacher steps down at Julius Bär and Swiss National Bank
This content was published on
Romeo Lacher will not stand for re-election as Julius Bär chair and will also step down from his role at the Swiss central bank this year.
Alpiq CEO sees security of supply at risk without EU treaty
This content was published on
The security of Switzerland’s future electricity supply is at risk unless a deal with the European Union can be concluded, warns a Swiss energy company boss.
This content was published on
Despite selling more than ten million purely battery-powered vehicles worldwide last year, growth in the e-car market is slowing.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss president calls for patience on Syrian refugees in Lebanon
This content was published on
“The situation has evolved; but I don’t know if we can say that the war in Syria is over,” Berset said in Beirut, referring to recent diplomatic and military shifts in Lebanon’s neighbour, where civil war has raged since 2011. “But of course, the question of what will happen to these people [Syrian refugees in…
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.