Some of the Swiss Antenna’s Activities

The Swiss Antenna of AEFJN, founded in 1994, works with the International Secretariat in Brussels yet retains a certain independence as Switzerland does not belong to the European Union.  It usually follows the issues agreed in Brussels, but on a smaller scale because of the number of members. The antenna is managed by a committee of 8-10 people who represent the various missionary congregations and with the help of two lay people who have spent a very long time in Africa. It has been financed for 12 years equally by the Swiss Development Cooperation and the member congregations.  Currently it has the help of volunteers.  Its main activities are:

 

 

• Lobbying Swiss MPs for greater economic, social, environmental, financial and political justice between Switzerland and Africa (chiefly on bilateral agreements).

 

• Two letters are sent annually to all 250 MPs on a specific theme, such as the modification of Swiss law so that Swiss companies active in a country of the South are made responsible for any damage and social injustice caused by their local branches.

 

• 5-6 articles per year are published in the largest French-language newspaper in the ‘Opinion’ section.  They are all on our website: www.rfjae.ch

 

• The antenna occasionally also works with other NGOs.

 

• It partially finances African speakers at conferences dealing with a specific subject such as Agricultural Policy in West Africa (Fribourg university) 

 

 Much information can be found on our website www.rfjae.ch.  

 

 Christine von Garnier, interim president, February 2013.