Switzerland welcomes the “preliminary agreement for presidential elections and inclusive peace negotiations in Mali” that was adopted on Tuesday, 18 June 2013, by the government of Mali, on one side, and the National Liberation Movement of Azawad (MNLA) and the High Council for Unity of Azawad (HCUA), on the other. This text establishes a ceasefire and paves the way for presidential elections in the whole of Mali. It is the culmination of many months of negotiations between the conflicting parties. Together with the international community, Switzerland has taken part in the facilitation activities headed by Burkina Faso on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations.

Diaspora communities can play a crucial role in the advancement of developing countries. Thanks to the expertise they acquire abroad, their experience and their remittances, people living abroad can make a significant contribution to improving the situation in their home countries. At a two-day conference of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), delegations from some 60 countries are discussing diaspora communities' potential as part of development policy. This is the first event to serve as an international platform for diaspora ministries and representatives.

Today in Bern, Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf and EU Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta held talks on unresolved tax issues. In the area of business taxation, Switzerland reaffirmed its willingness to adjust certain tax regimes provided the EU dispenses with defensive measures against Switzerland. Regarding the automatic exchange of information, Finance Minister Widmer-Schlumpf stressed the importance of a global standard.