Development aid should not be cut down, Swiss evangelicals say

The Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) is “disappointed” after the Financial Committee of the Swiss National Council (lower house Assembly) voted to reduce the development aid the country gives, from 0.5 to 0.3%.

The SEA believes “this is a step completely in the wrong direction”, an “irresponsible” decision given the challenges faced globally in this moment.

Although the help Switzerland gives (about 3 Billion Swiss Francs) is “like a drop of water on a hot stone”, it still makes a difference, evangelical Christians in the country think. “For those who receive it in the poorest places of the Earth, it can be a saving help.”

Reducing this help now “is very questionable”, the SEA states. “It will not be understood, even more knowing that the United Nations recommend all countries to raise development aid to 0.7%”

The refugee crisis is one of the indicators which shows that it is a very bad moment to take this kind of cutbacks, the SEA believes.

The SEA says it is “a Christian position” to promote solidarity and engage with both public and private actors (NGOs, etc.) to help reduce poverty across the world.

The organisation which represents evangelical Christians in Switzerland has been proactive sharing resources and projects to address the refugee crisis.