Swiss citizen kidnapped in Mali
Bern, 08.01.2016 - Position statement
The FDFA has been informed that a Swiss woman has been kidnapped in Mali. This Swiss citizen had already been kidnapped in Mali in the spring of 2012. The FDFA is in contact with her relatives. The FDFA's representation in Bamako is also in contact with the Malian authorities that are responsible for achieving a resolution of the kidnapping.
As soon as FDFA's Crisis Management Centre was informed of the kidnapping, it established a task force. Working closely together with the Federal Office of Police and the Federal Intelligence Service, the FDFA makes every possible effort to secure the release in good health of Swiss citizen who has been kidnapped.
Because of the high risk of kidnap the FDFA has since 1 December 2009 advised against travelling to Mali. After this Swiss citizen was released in 2012, the FDFA warned her that she faced great personal risk in Mali and strongly advised her not to return to the country.
The FDFA strongly advises Swiss citizens to consult its travel advice notices, which currently cover 176 countries and are updated on an ongoing basis, before they travel. The goal of FDFA travel advice is to inform Swiss citizens about the security situation and potential risks in travel destinations. Travel advice notices are published in German, French and Italian on the FDFA website (www.eda.admin.ch/reisehinweise).
Address for enquiries
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
Publisher
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
