In the coming days, members of the Swiss Parliament will get to meet their Peruvian counterparts at the Lima-based Congress of Peru with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and bringing the two peoples closer to one another.
The announcement was made by Swiss Ambassador in Peru, Hans-Ruedi Bortis, who disclosed the delegation of the Swiss Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs will get together with their Peruvian peers in the corresponding congressional commission.
“We have congratulated the President of the Peruvian Congress [Ana María Solórzano] on the assumption of her duties, and met with her to discuss the concrete agenda of the delegation, given that they are expected to arrive in a couple of days,” he said.
The diplomat went on to add this visit will reaffirm the bonds of friendship between Peru and Switzerland, as this year marks the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of Swiss cooperation in the Andean nation..
"Switzerland is present in Peru for a long time and has played a very active role here," he added.
The Swiss Parliament, or the Federal Assembly as it is also known, is the highest legislative body with the power to make laws at federal level. It is composed of two chambers, the National Council and the Council of States.
According to its official website, one of the responsibilities of the Federal Assembly is to ensure that relations are maintained with parliaments of other countries, as is the case of Peru, and that the Swiss parliament participates in international parliamentary organizations.
The Swiss Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committees (FACs) organize a fact-finding mission to another country each year. The aim of these visits is not only to maintain and strengthen relations with other parliaments but also to enable FACs members to acquire in-depth knowledge of the political, social and economic situation of the countries they visit.
While abroad, FACs parliamentarians are also able to gain an insight of countries into the international and regional image, and to find out about Switzerland’s activities in those places (for example development cooperation).
(END) NDP/SMA/CCR/RMB
Published: 10/2/2014