Swiss minister urges Saudi Arabia to back ceasefire in Yemen
A Yemeni woman in Sanaa counts her money. The economic crisis in Yemen has worsened since the war broke out in 2015. A sharp devaluation of the rial has led to a historic rise in the prices of basic goods.
Keystone / Yahya Arhab
Switzerland’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, has called on Saudi Arabia to support a ceasefire in Yemen and the resumption of the peace process. Cassis has just completed a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
This content was published on
2 minutes
The Swiss minister travelled to Riyadh onNovember 19-20, where he met his counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah bin Faisal Al Saud and Abdel Aljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The war in neighbouring Yemen, which has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, was among the various topics covered.
The Swiss foreign ministry saidExternal link in a statement that Cassis had stressed “the importance of respect for international humanitarian law by all actors”.
A US-backed Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-backed Houthis rebels. Years of United Nations efforts to get both sides to agree to a cease-fire and start peace negotiations have not succeeded.
The Houthis have repeatedly launched cross border attacks on Saudi Arabia using drones and missiles since the coalition intervened in Yemen. On Saturday, the Houthi movement said it had fired 14 drones at several Saudi cities, including at Saudi Aramco facilities in Jeddah. The conflict, seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been in military stalemate for years.
Saudi reforms: “great potential”
In its statementExternal link, the Swiss foreign ministry said Cassis had welcomed economic and social reforms in Saudi Arabia.
“The Saudi reforms hold great potential for Swiss companies and finance,” the Swiss minister said. “But they also offer us the opportunity to conduct a constructive dialogue on the topic of human rights, including on issues such as the death penalty and freedom of expression.”
Cassis shared Switzerland’s determination to contribute to regional dialogue and cooperation, including through its protecting power mandate.
Since 2018, Switzerland has been representing Saudi interests in Iran and Iranian interests in Saudi Arabia.
In Riyadh, Cassis also met Saudi women active in politics, sport and business. He also attended a match between two Saudi Arabian women’s football teams. The Swiss foreign minister will continue to Libya on Sunday for a short visit.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss reject plans for bigger motorways and extra rights for landlords
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Poll: right-wing Swiss People’s Party enjoys growing support among population
This content was published on
If national elections had been held in Switzerland last month, the right-wing Swiss People's Party would have won, and increased its share of votes by 2% compared to the 2023 federal elections.
This content was published on
Swiss Black Friday revenues failed to live up to retail expectations. But sales throughout the week proved more successful.
This content was published on
The Swiss army will have CH 530 million more than expected for armaments investments after a parliamentary chamber approved the increase.
This content was published on
Swiss citizens could have access to an e-ID from 2026 as parliament has agreed to the idea in principle despite still having to iron out some minor issues.
Switzerland mulls S status restrictions for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Switzerland’s parliament wants in future to restrict the issuance of Ukrainian S permits to refugees fleeing parts of the war-torn country.
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
Pilatus can continue to work in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
This content was published on
The Swiss aircraft manufacturer can continue its business activities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a court has confirmed.
Swiss security companies active in North Africa and Middle East
This content was published on
Operators of so-called mercenaries are obliged by law to report their activities to the Swiss foreign ministry, which makes them public. In 2019, a total of 31 companies reported 478 missions – all of them legal. The numbers of activities were largely the same as 2018. The foreign ministry department responsible for monitoring mercenary activity…
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.