ECOSOC is composed of 54 member states elected by the UN General Assembly. To ensure fair and balanced geographical representation, seats are allocated to the UN's five regional groups. Of the total number of seats, 13 go to members of the Western European and Others Group. A vote by the members of the General Assembly was held on 7 June 2024 to approve the Swiss seat.
ECOSOC promotes the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) through legally non-binding resolutions and decisions. It also plays a major role in coordinating and steering the UN development system. It is one of the main platforms for monitoring and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
As a member of ECOSOC, Switzerlandwill help to implement the SDGs and shape the post-2030 Agenda. In that regard, it will present its third voluntary national review (after 2018 and 2022), based on the country report on implementation, in July 2026 in New York at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
Switzerland's commitment will be based on its Foreign Policy Strategy 2024–27, as well as on the Federal Council's other strategies which are relevant to the work of ECOSOC, in particular the foreign economic policy strategy, the international cooperation strategy and the sustainable development strategy.
Switzerland's seat on ECOSOC will also be of significant importance in view of its role as host state. Indeed, many UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs based in Geneva are active in the field of sustainable development and have a direct link with ECOSOC.
Address for enquiries:
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
