Demonstrators prepare to clash with the police during a protest in Yangon, Myanmar, on Monday
Keystone / Lynn Bo Bo
Switzerland has suspended development aid for Myanmar, the foreign ministry has confirmed. Only emergency aid is being maintained, amid an intensified crackdown by the country’s military on massive protests against last month’s coup.
As a result, the lion’s share of this year’s budget of CHF36 million ($38.5 million) will be blocked. In addition, the ministry is reviewing 30 projects in Myanmar and is studying all options.
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Is there a place for culture in Swiss development aid?
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Switzerland is changing its approach to development cooperation. Many are wondering where that leaves projects promoting culture abroad.
“It’s mainly a question of whether we maintain cooperation and, if so, to what extent is cooperation acceptable to us in order to safeguard the progress made over the past ten years while avoiding providing legitimacy to the new regime,” it told the newspapers.
Coup
The Southeast Asian country has been plunged into turmoil after the army took over control in a coup on February 1 and detained elected leaders, with daily protests that United Nations said had killed more than 50 people.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the foreign ministry’s agency for international cooperation, says development policyExternal link “encompasses all political, economic and social measures to help improve living conditions in developing countries in a sustainable way”.
Over the past eight years Switzerland has supported Myanmar to the tune of CHF300 million.
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Switzerland calls for end to Myanmar coup
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The Swiss foreign ministry has urged Myanmar’s military, which seized power on Monday in a coup, to “immediately suspend its actions”.
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Switzerland temporarily suspends aid payments to Myanmar
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Switzerland has decided to suspend all further payments related to development cooperation in Myanmar following the recent military coup.
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Officials at the Geneva-based UN evidence-gathering body for serious crimes in Myanmar are closely watching events in the southeast Asian nation.
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Political parties in Myanmar have signed a code of conduct for peaceful elections and a fair election campaign. Switzerland served as the mediator.
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