Swiss President on role of Oman and Switzerland in promoting peace and health
Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation has hailed the positive role of Oman and Switzerland in promoting international peace and stability.
Speaking in Muscat, President Berset commended the commitment of both Oman and Switzerland to neutrality in regional and international affairs, noting that the two countries share common values that contribute to the consolidation of bilateral cooperation.
The President was speaking during an event at the Diplomatic Club marking the conclusion of Oman-Switzerland Mediation Week, organised by the Foreign Ministry in cooperation with its Swiss counterpart. The event coincided with the President’s official visit to the Sultanate of Oman.
President Berset expressed his satisfaction over the level of relations between Oman and Switzerland and the efforts being made to develop them. He said that both countries want to expand areas of cooperation to cover climate change, artificial intelligence and other spheres.
The President said he valued Omani-Swiss efforts to promote universal health coverage and transform it into “a bridge leading to global peace” notably through a joint Omani-Swiss initiative “Global Health for Peace”, which stresses the importance of implementing health policies.
“This gathering constitutes an opportunity to discuss the Omani-Swiss Initiative and highlight the common link between health and peace, whose accomplishment will not be possible without effective partnership among all countries of the world,” said the President.
The Swiss President said that the initiative focuses on the vital role of the World Health Organisation during emergencies and crises, explaining that the initiative emphasises protecting health missions and delegations in such difficult times. He said the initiative strives to put health issues at the top of government priorities everywhere in the world.
Neutrality, he said, remains a permanent humanitarian principle for providing comprehensive healthcare during crises.
The Omani-Switzerland Mediation Week aims to help establish a new network of relations with the Swiss government and international organisations.
The gathering was attended by Dr Hilal bin Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health; Mahmoud bin Hamad Alhasani, Oman's Ambassador to Switzerland; Thomas Oertel, Switzerland's Ambassador to Oman, and officials from both Switzerland and Oman.
This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.