Aid organizations and churches call on Federal Councilor Cassis to take action

The USAID stop threatens the collapse of international humanitarian structures - Switzerland must not remain silent


We are following the latest developments surrounding the United States' decision to stop its contributions to UN organizations such as the World Health Organization and to close the United Nations Development Agency (USAID) with great concern. This has a dramatic impact on support for the world's poorest. Countless humanitarian emergency aid and international cooperation programs are in danger of no longer being able to continue their work. The consequences for millions of women, children, the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities in the world's most vulnerable regions would be fatal. This is happening at a time when there are more parallel crises and conflicts worldwide than ever before.

The United Nations (UN) and the international humanitarian community are providing basic essential services such as medical assistance, food, water and shelter. They are also providing access to education for millions of children who would otherwise not receive any education. Thanks to global health campaigns, diseases such as HIV, Ebola and malaria have been effectively combated and deaths reduced in recent decades. The international community has committed itself to sustainable development and poverty reduction in the 2030 Agenda and cannot remain silent when these goals are at stake. Switzerland has a special responsibility. As the guardian of the Geneva Conventions and the host country of key UN organizations for humanitarian affairs, we cannot accept radical cuts in funding, deliberate endangerment of human lives and the destruction of development cooperation achievements. We must act now, because tomorrow it may already be too late for millions of people. Our country's humanist tradition obliges us, obliges you, to intervene actively.

We therefore urge you to use all your strength and determination through diplomatic channels to maintain humanitarian structures, particularly in the UN. We also ask you to work on behalf of Switzerland to ensure that wealthy countries assume their responsibility towards the world's poorest people and that development cooperation is not further undermined. Switzerland must take a leading role in this global effort.

We thank you for your commitment to this important matter.

Peter Lack, Director of Caritas Switzerland

Bernd Nilles, Director of Lenten Campaign

Walter Schmid, President of the HEKS Foundation Board

Pastor Rita Famos, President of the Evangelical Church of Switzerland

Bishop Charles Morerod, President of the Swiss Bishops' Conference


Contact:
Livia Leykauf
Head of Communications
Caritas Switzerland
Tel. 076 233 45 04
E-mail medien@caritas.ch

Mischa von Arb
Media spokesperson for the Fasting Campaign
041 227 59 66
E-mail vonarb@fastenaktion.ch

--- END press release Aid organizations and churches call on Federal Councilor Cassis to take action ---

  Caritas Schweiz (company entry)

  Hilfswerke und Kirchen rufen Bundesrat Cassis zum Handeln auf (news article in german on swiss-press.com)