The ambience was that of glitz and glam as Switzerland celebrated its 725th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation at the Ambassador’s residence in Maitama on the 1st of August.
As little Swiss flags fluttered in the evening breeze, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Eric Mayoraz stood at the lectern to deliver his speech to Nigeria, beginning with a brief history of how it all began.
As a result of the confederation formed, Switzerland has had the chance to remain neutral and independent and to escape the major wars and conflicts that destroyed Europe and the world during the 19th and 20th centuries.
However its neutrality, impartiality and independence did not result to indifference to its relations with the rest of the world, instead it strengthened it.
The Swiss government has nurtured courses to bolster its bilateral relations with Nigeria.
It has contributed towards humanitarian support for victims of the conflict in the north-east, and set to increase its support in the next months following the arrival of a new humanitarian coordinator at the Embassy.
Switzerland also supports Nigeria on peace and security, as well as programs in the field of human rights with partners like the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Prisons Service, and NGOs.
This year Switzerland celebrates its fifth anniversary of an exemplary and very fruitful partnership in the field of migration with the Nigeria Immigration Service and others.
“The bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Switzerland has been marked in the past by some shadows, in particular when looters chose to hide their stolen money in Swiss banks: Let me tell you clearly that those times are OVER! Not only that, Switzerland has no more bank secrecy in its legislation. My country was the first to send back to Nigeria more than 722 million USD of looted assets 10 years ago, in 2005.
“Now we are in the full process of the negotiation for the repatriation of 321 million USD that were not in Switzerland but that the Swiss justice gathered from other financial places in the world, to be given back to the Nigerian people and government, for development programs with the help of the World Bank,” Mayoraz indicated.
He also expressed delight at a new Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters which was signed last Friday on behalf of the Swiss government, with the Honorable Minister State of Foreign Affairs. This will aid new cases of investigation of corruption and stolen assets. Ending with mention of the new Consulate General in Lagos, set to focus on trade and economic issues towards boosting bilateral economic and commercial relationships in the future.