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.

States are meeting for the second time on 17 and 18 June 2103 in Geneva at the initiative of Switzerland and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to find concrete means to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and ICRC President Peter Maurer opened the meeting. In his speech, Mr Burkhalter underscored the urgent need to strengthen compliance with existing rules and called for the establishment of a meeting of States that would facilitate regular and systematic dialogue on international humanitarian law.