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In the Financial Secrecy Index published today, Switzerland continues to perform very poorly. Yet, the federal authorities in Bern continue by every means to defend the local financial centre as a contact point for oligarchs, a hotspot for criminal private banks, and a protected space for shady investment advisers. As early as next week, the National Council will again have an opportunity to reverse its position.

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is disastrous. Swiss development organisations are calling on the Federal Council to endorse the joint declaration by over 20 countries and to immediately do everything in its power to ensure that humanitarian aid can be provided without restriction and impartially.

Ibrahim Maïga is a Sahel expert at the International Crisis Group. Alliance Sud asked him what the recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger mean for democracy in the region and Switzerland's development cooperation. Interview by Isolda Agazzi.

The Free Trade Agreement with Thailand does not provide for the strengthening of intellectual property rights over medicines (for now) and seeds, which is a good thing from a development standpoint. But the sustainable impact assessment, the first of its kind, misses the mark.

Advocates of impact investing portray it as one way to help fund both the Sustainable Development Goals and climate targets. In a recent study, Alliance Sud took a closer look at this contribution, which to date remains rather limited.

The dismantling of global US involvement must be of concern to Switzerland, writes Andreas Missbach. The repercussions on multilateralism and development cooperation and, by extension, on the poorest countries in particular, are serious. Against this backdrop, the Federal Council cannot opt for business as usual.

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences hosted a meeting on tax justice and solidarity. Yet what hovered above attendees was not the Holy Ghost, but Donald Trump.

The Swiss financial centre has demonstrated that it will not voluntarily give up business involving environmental degradation abroad. The Financial Centre Initiative aims to amend the Constitution to include a ban on new investments in coal, oil and gas by Swiss financial market players.

Much has been written in recent days about the dramatic dismantling of the American development agency USAID. It is now clear that not only was the agency destroyed in an undemocratic and unlawful manner, but that moreover, the decision is having worldwide repercussions. Despite its much-vaunted humanitarian tradition and advocacy of multilateralism through international Geneva, official Switzerland is still noticeably silent.