Switzerland pledge money to help victims of Ethiopia violence
People who fled the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region stand on a hill top overlooking a refugee camp in eastern Sudan (picture from Thursday)
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Switzerland has allocated CHF2 million ($2.21 million) for humanitarian aid in the violence-hit Tigray region in northern Ethiopia. It has called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law.
This content was published on
2 minutes
FDFA/Reuters/ilj
Since November 4, 2020, clashes in northern Ethiopia have exacerbated the already precarious situation in the region, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said on Friday evening.External link
The crisis has also affected neighbouring Sudan where more than 40,000 refugees have arrived.
Keystone
The CHF2 million will go to support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund, as well as United Nations’ food and refugee operations in Sudan. The funding will come through the Swiss authorities’ Humanitarian Aid Unit.
“Switzerland reiterates its appeal to all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law. The protection of the civilian population and the facilitation of rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid for all parties to the conflict are of paramount importance,” the statement said.
“Finally, the FDFA calls for a transparent and impartial investigation of all alleged violations of international law in connection with the conflict.”
Tension
After months of tension between the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the government recently launched an offensive against the armed group and the ruling party of Tigray.
Thousands of people are already believed to have been killed following air strikes and ground fighting. The UN estimates 1.1 million Ethiopians will need aid as a result of the conflict.
African peace envoys met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Friday, a day after he said that the military was beginning the “final phase” of an offensive in the region of Tigray.
Swiss food giant Nestlé to invest millions in Nescafé in Spain
This content was published on
The Swiss multinational is to invest €15 million (CHF14.3 million) in its Nescafé factory, which produces instant coffee and Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsules, in Girona near Barcelona.
This content was published on
Malfunctions led to a worldwide outage of the social media platform X several times on Monday, affecting users in Switzerland and elsewhere.
This content was published on
The Swiss bank UBS was fined €75,000 (CHF71,410), the maximum penalty, in Paris on Monday for moral harassment by its French subsidiary of two whistleblowers.
Nearly 50 wolves killed in eastern Switzerland over five-month period
This content was published on
Wildlife wardens in the eastern canton of Graubünden, together with hunters, shot 48 wolves between September 2024 and January 2025, authorities said on Monday.
Top Swiss court approves appeal against asbestos ruling
This content was published on
The Glarus high court must re-examine an asbestos case, after the Federal Court approved the request for a revision of its decision by the family of Marcel Jann.
Swiss singer Zoë Më unveils song ‘Voyage’ for 2025 Eurovision contest
This content was published on
Singer-songwriter Zoë Më, who will represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, unveiled her ballad Voyage on Monday.
Switzerland’s image at stake in current multilateralism crisis, says Geneva politician
This content was published on
The Swiss government's reaction to the current crisis in multilateralism is not congruent with what is at stake for International Geneva, says the head of the Geneva Government.
This content was published on
At the stroke of 4am on Monday, the street lights went out in Basel's city center for the carnival kick-off, known as Morgenstreich.
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
Switzerland calls for de-escalation and dialogue in Ethiopia
This content was published on
Switzerland has expressed its concern about developments in Ethiopia, calling for a de-escalation of violence and a return to dialogue.
Ethiopians rally in Bern to protest deportation deal
This content was published on
In April, for the first time in five years, Ethiopia announced it was ready to receive back citizens whose asylum applications in Switzerland had been rejected. This policy change is an outcome of an agreement between the African state and the EU. To be readmitted, the persons concerned must be recognised as Ethiopian nationals. If they…
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.