Swiss boost development aid to Cuba

Swiss boost development aid to Cuba
AUG 14, 2015 - 08:59

Switzerland's foreign minister, Didier Burkhalter - in Cuba to mark the
reopening of the United States embassy in Havana - has used the
opportunity to announce a CHF3 million ($3.1 million) increase in
development funding to Cuba.
This is the first ever ministerial-level visit between Switzerland and
Cuba. During a meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodríguez
Parrilla on Thursday, Burkhalter offered his congratulations on the
resumption of relations between Cuba and the US, foreign ministry
spokesman Jean-Marc Crevoisier said.
Both foreign ministers pledged to deepen relations between their own
countries, with Burkhalter telling Rodriguez that Swiss development aid
to Cuba would rise to CHF12 million in 2016.
Cuba is a priority country for the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation (SDC), which is mainly working in the area of
decentralization and municipal development in the Caribbean island.
Good offices
At another meeting, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, Cuba's vice president of the
Council of Ministers, thanked Switzerland for its good offices role. It
acted as a discreet diplomatic go-between between Cuba and the US for 54
years. This service is coming to the end with the resumption of US-Cuba
relations.
The US and Cuba broke off relations in 1961 and Switzerland took on a
protecting power mandate between the US and Cuba at the US' request and
represented the US' interests in Cuba. It had represented Cuba in the US
since 1991.
Until 1977 the Swiss played a more active role, especially as a channel
of communication between the US and Cuba and contributed to
de-escalation during times of stress during the Cold War, the Swiss
foreign ministry says.
After that the Swiss role became more formal, as Cuba and the US had
signed an agreement allowing the countries to maintain their own
interests section in Havana and Washington respectively.
US Secretary of State John Kerry invited Burkhalter to attend the
reopening of the US embassy in Havanna on August 14 to express
appreciation of Switzerland's role and as a gesture of goodwill. A
discussion between the two men is also planned on the sidelines of the
ceremony.
swissinfo.ch and agencies


Source: Swiss boost development aid to Cuba - SWI swissinfo.ch -
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/havana-visit_swiss-boost-development-aid-to-cuba/41602904