BERN, SWITZERLAND – The Swiss federal government will be increasing financial aid to Myanmar/Burma, it said Saturday. Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter said at the opening of the new Swiss embassy in Yangon that Switzerland will “increase its development cooperation and humanitarian aid with Myanmar substantially over the next years: from 11 million dollars in 2012 [...]
Myanmar/Burma may join mine ban Convention
July 12, 2012 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Myanmar/Burma’s government may be adding the Mine Ban Convention to its state reforms, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention said in Geneva Thursday 12 July. The minister of foreign affairs, U Wunna Maung Lwin, said at a meeting of Asean foreign ministers 11 July in Phnom Penh, Cambodia that his government is “seriously [...]
Wealthy Slim, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi brighten Geneva’s week
June 14, 2012 by
ILO lifts sanctions against Burma/Myanmar GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Geneva is having a heady international relations celebrities week, with the world’s richest man, Carlos Slim Helú, speaking at the UN Monday, followed by Burma/Myanmar Nobel laureate, political activist and leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressing the ILO (Interntaional Labour Organization) Thursday 14 June before moving on [...]
Myanmar’s western violence “worst since reformist gov’t” arrived
June 11, 2012 by
UN pulls non-essential staff from west of country GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Fighting that began Friday 8 June between Muslims and Buddhists in western Myanmar/Burma is being called “the worst communal violence since a reformist government replaced a junta last year” by Yahoo News/Reuters. Fighting broke out between rival ethnic groups in Sittwe, in the northwest [...]
Switzerland to open Myanmar embassy
June 1, 2012 by
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland announced Friday afternoon 1 June that it will be opening an embassy in Myanmar/Burma “this summer”. The next four years will also see CHF25 million in development funding going to the country, some of it for food security programmes and the rest for demining and vocational training. The statement from Bern [...]
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to address ILO in Geneva
May 22, 2012 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will be in Geneva 14 June, her first stop abroad since being released from house arrest by Myanmar/Burmese authorities earlier this year. The head of her country’s National League for Democracy (NLD) will speak at the International Labour Organization‘s 101st international labour conference. Some 4,000 [...]
Switzerland puts into effect sanctions-lifting for Myanmar/Burma
May 10, 2012 by
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland officially lifts all sanctions against Myanmar/Burma 10 May, except arms embargoes and sanctions against materials that could be used for repression. The government made the decision to do so at the end of April but asked the Federal Department for the Economy to draw up a plan of action. This was [...]
Aung San Suu Kyi sworn in to parliament in Burma
May 2, 2012 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in to parliament Wednesday 2 May, finally taking public office after a 25-year long struggle against the country’s military regime. The Nobel prize winner had initially refused the phrasing for the swearing in, which holds her to “safeguard the constitution” drafted by the [...]
Myanmar/Burma sanctions: EU lifts most
April 23, 2012 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – An arms embargo will remain but other sanctions against Myanmar/Burma have been lifted by the European Union, to take effect the week of 30 April, the EU announced 23 April.The easing comes as a result of the Burmese parliament re-opening and other signs that the repressive regime is serious about opening up [...]
Myanmar leader visa ban lifted, as opposition’s Aung San Suu Kyi elected
April 3, 2012 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Myanmar/Birma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was easily elected to parliament, a move widely applauded in the West, after her years of house arrest by the country’s military regime. Recognition by the state of her election is part of a series of reforms that in January led the European Union to [...]
