Swiss State Secretary warns against cutting development aid

Helene Budliger, head of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), warned of the negative consequences of the plan to divert funds from development aid to invest in the army. The Swiss senate wants to cut CHF500 million ($557 million) a year from development aid and use it for the army instead. This scenario worries Budliger, who told Swiss public television SRF in the Saturday Review: "Then we would need to have a real discussion about Switzerland's global solidarity." As head of SECO, Budliger is responsible for economic development aid. She warns that further cuts could have a negative impact: "Development cooperation gives us a good reputation and helps us in other areas. It would be a shame to jeopardise that carelessly." + Majority of Swiss do not support an increase in defence spending Leading members of the Senate justified their decision in June by arguing, among other things, that some aid projects were not very effective. Additionally, development aid has ...