Swiss host platform for talks on Middle East and North Africa

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and his counterpart from Oman have participated in a Middle East Mediterranean forum for young adults in the Swiss city of Lugano.

Cassis highlighted the close relations with the Middle East and North Africa for geographical, and strategic reasons as well as the importance of supporting the young generation in the region.

He said Switzerland shared “a strong historical and cultural heritage” with the sultanate in the southeast coast of the Arabian peninsula, according to a foreign ministry statement on Tuesday.

Cassis stressed the importance of strengthening peace and security in the region, and he praised Oman as “very reliable partner” and a “bridge-builder in peace diplomacy”.

The summer summit forum is the fourth such event organised by the government and the University of  southern Switzerland. Around 30 young people from the Middle East attended the forum in person, while another 100 participants took part online, the ministry said.

On Monday, Cassis held bilateral talks with Sayyid Badr Albusaidi. They already had met in Oman earlier this year.