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Helvetas
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Swiss
Development Projects
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Bhutan's Development |
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Bhutan's Development |
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Swiss
Exhibition in Bhutan 2004
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| "I
have a strong belief in the friendship between our two countries. It is
a friendship built on mutual trust that has stood the test of time,"
said Dr Walter Bruno Gyger, ambassador of Switzerland to Bhutan, who was
on a farewell visit to the country from April 12 to 18.
Dr
Gyger said that he served as an ambassador to Bhutan with big admiration.
"Bhutan's opening to the world slowly and steadily has made it a model
state in the world," he said. "The track on which Bhutan treads today under
the leadership of His Majesty is the right path."
Dr
Gyger who received an audience with His Majesty the King on April 13 also
called on the prime minister, Lyonpo Jigmi Y Thinley, and senior government
officials.
"Our
cooperation is concrete, visible, useful and sustainable," said the ambassador
who added that a possible area of cooperation could be in international
affairs, with Switzerland as a member of the UN.
Speaking
on the ongoing process of political reformation in the country Dr Gyger
said that the new democratic constitution will most probably bring about
big changes in the country. "I have observed the growing consciousness
among the people especially among the village headmen. They have now understood
what democracy and decentralisation are." |
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The
ambassador said that personally he had made many friends in Bhutan. "I
hope the friendship will continue not just at the official level but between
our two peoples. And my last wish is I want to see the problem of people
in camps in Nepal solved as soon as possible."
Official
Swiss assistance started in 1972 with the first Swiss project on integrated
rural development in Bumthang and formal diplomatic relations between the
two countries were established in 1985.
Switzerland's
main priority areas are education, natural resources, building of suspension
bridges, infrastructure sector, and promotion of vocational institutes
especially in wake of a growing possible future unemployment crunch.
Dr
Walter Bruno Gyger who was born in 1946 and holds a doctoral degree in
economics joined the federal department of foreign affairs in 1974. In
a career spanning 30 years, Dr Gyger served as vice-director of the former
directorate of international organisations with a rank of a minister, ambassador
to Senegal, Gambia, Mali and Cap-Vert, stationed in Dakarand and also headed
the permanent mission of Switzerland to the international organisations
in Geneva. He will assume his new ambassadorship to Turkey soon.
| Contributed
by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper, 2004 |
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