Development costs money, it can't be achieved for free. In 2006, Switzerland spent 0.39 per cent of its gross national product on development aid, compared to 0.44 per cent in 2004.

And yet, at the Millennium Summit in 2000, it committed itself to spending 0.7 per cent on development. At present, this promise amounts to paying lip service. The church-based relief agencies are also protesting against the Federal Council's attempt at window-dressing. To present itself in a better light, it has been including expenditure on asylum seekers in Switzerland in the development aid budget since 2004.