TheCable

The government of Switzerland has denied granting financial support to the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the fight against Boko Haram.

In a statement issued by Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the country maintained neutrality in conflicts.

“As a neutral actor in conflict situations, Switzerland has never given financial support to military interventions and will abstain from doing so in the future,” the statement read.

Empasising its commitment in brokering peace, the country said it had spent about $12 million in assisting those affected by Boko Haram crisis.

“Switzerland’s historic commitment to humanitarian aid, the protection of individuals and the promotion of peace is known throughout the world,” the statement read.

“To date, Switzerland allocated close to USD 12m to mitigate the affected population’s suffering from the Boko Haram crisis in the region. Most resources have been granted to Protection and Food security/Nutrition-related programmes in neighboring countries (Niger, Cameroon) to Multilateral partners (WFP, UNHCR, ICRC) and NGOs (International Rescue Committee, COOPI, Croix-Rouge française).

“Furthermore, Switzerland supports peace processes, peacebuilding as well as sustainable development initiatives and programs in the wider Sahel region.”

On Wednesday, a news agency listed Switzerland among the countries that pledged about $250 million to fund the 8,700-strong regional task force.