Switzerland

EFTA

In the land of the Maharajahs, this Lilliput is Goliath

by Christian Campiche,* Lausanne

(22 March 2024) We can bet that the media, public service excepted, will not make this their headlines. This would be unfair because the announced agreement with India finally constitutes good news for the Swiss economy. It took no less than 16 years of tenacious negotiations for the painstaking work carried out by Swiss officials of the European Free Trade Association, EFTA, to bear fruit. “An important milestone for our country’s trade policy,” comments the Federal Department of Economic Affairs.

“People are looking at Switzerland!”

by Ralph Bosshard,* Switzerland

(22 March 2024) (Ed.) The divided world needs mediators – but only those who are neutral can be mediators. Switzerland should strengthen its neutrality not only to avoid being drawn into a war itself, but also to be able to play an active mediating role in serious conflicts between other countries! The world needs mediators!
Switzerland

Ideologies bring no solutions

Failure of the energy transition is predictable

by Ueli Gubler,* Engineer, Stettfurt, Switzerland

(16 March 2024) The “Energy Concept 2050” adopted in 2017 provides for the phasing out of nuclear energy and the abandonment of fossil fuels. In the Federal Council’s dispatch, the costs for a household of four were estimated at CHF 40 ($45) per year.

In June 2021, Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga opened the referendum campaign on the CO2 Act with the remark that the energy transition would probably cost one hundred billion francs across Switzerland. That would be a total of CHF 48,000 per household for the conversion. It is to be feared that the federal government, and others as well, have no idea how great the technical costs of the energy transition will be.

“We don’t want to be remembered as victims”

Lecture by Dr Yousef Aljamal at the “Switzerland-Palestinian Society” in Zurich

by Ursula Cross

(16 February 2024) At the invitation of the “Switzerland-Palestine Society”,1 Yousef Aljamal, who grew up in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, spoke on 28 January 2024 about personal stories, stubborn Palestinians, people’s pride in their history and his hope in young people around the world.

“My stories are intended to make it easier for people to imagine life in an occupied territory”. With these words Dr Aljamal started his lecture.

Immediate stop to negotiations with the WHO

Lack of transparency at federal level

by Dr. med. Sabine Vuilleumier-Koch

(9 February 2024) The number of national parliamentarians warning against the adoption of WHO treaties is growing. These treaties, a “pandemic treaty” and amendments to the “International Health Regulations” (IHR), are to be adopted at the World Health Assembly, the WHO’s legislative body, in May 2024 and would have devastating consequences for the member states. Despite this, the Federal Council has not yet provided complete and transparent information about the negotiations to Parliament, let alone the public. The treaties cannot yet be read and studied in any national language; they are only available in English on the Internet.

Look for the female general!

by Christian Campiche,* Lausanne

(9 February 2024) The future of man is the woman. Well recognised, Aragon!1

When men destroy each other on the battlefields of the world, will the vision become reality?

When will that be?

Look for the woman general! She is the one who holds the sceptre now.