Page 36 - DIVA_4_2007_No.31

Visit of Ms Doris Leuthard,

Swiss Minister of Finance to Geneva

agreements.

Therefore, Ms Leuthard
explained, the economic poli-
cy of Switzerland is centered
on three different axes, the
European Union, where
Switzerland needs to consoli-
date its position; the multilat-
eral arena, where the Doha
cycle is crucial; and finally
the bilateral agreements,
where Switzerland has more
than 16 free-trade agreements
with different countries.

During her meeting in
Geneva, she also stressed the
Doris Leuthard, Federal Councillor in Geneva importance of Geneva
International, which repre-
As Head of the Federal World Trade Organization. sents an important network
Department of Economic On 10 September she was in both for the city of Geneva as
Affairs (FDEA), Federal Geneva talking about the well as the canton. Geneva,
Councillor Doris Leuthard, Swiss economy, trade and much like the rest of
perhaps one of the the quality of life in a meet- Switzerland, needs immigra-
youngest among the seven ing organized by the tion and more people to come
members of the Federal Christian Democratic Party. here to work. At the domestic
Council, the executive level, the FDEA's goal is to
authority of the Swiss So, first of all, the Swiss create the regulatory frame-
Government. economy is strong and doing work and economic policy
very well. According to the conditions enabling Swiss and
The FDEA is the centre of Minister, more than 60,000 foreign companies located in
the Swiss Government for full-time jobs have been cre- Switzerland to prosper.
all core issues related to ated, and unemployment has
economic affairs and trade been reduced by 24.000. "In 2015 there will be 10 %
policies. In her capacity as less young finishing school,
its director, Mrs. Leuthard While Switzerland places a and we need to find people to
is, among other things, priority on multilateralism in fill this gap"...
responsible for the Doha its foreign economic policy,
Round negotiations at the it defends its special interests Photos T.P.GRAINDORGE
through bilateral free trade

34 4 2007 Diva