Press releases

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Switzerland–EU: Federal Council takes stock of current negotiations

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 26 June 2024, the Federal Council took stock of the negotiations with the EU and the internal implementation of the package which aims to stabilise and further develop the bilateral path. While tangible progress has been made in several areas, in others, such as immigration and wage protection, the positions of the two sides have not yet converged sufficiently. Meanwhile parallel discussions continue in Switzerland with interest groups on key sectors.

Neutrality initiative: without counter-proposal, Federal Council recommends rejection

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
The popular initiative 'Safeguarding Swiss neutrality' (Neutrality Initiative) seeks to enshrine neutrality and its practical application in Switzerland's Federal Constitution. The new constitutional provision would, among other things, disallow Switzerland from taking sanctions against belligerent states in the future. At its meeting of 26 June 2024, the Swiss Federal Council decided to recommend that the people and the cantons reject the Neutrality Initiative.

Alain Berset elected Secretary General of Council of Europe

25.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has elected former Federal Councillor Alain Berset as its new Secretary General. His term will start on 18 September 2024. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) supported Mr Berset's candidature and welcomes his election to this post.

Switzerland takes on protecting power mandate for Mexico and Ecuador

24.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
At the request of both governments, Switzerland will represent Mexico's interests in relation to Ecuador and Ecuador's interests in relation to Mexico. The applicable agreements were signed with Mexico on 15 June 2024 and with Ecuador on 24 June 2024. In taking on this role, Switzerland is ensuring that diplomatic and consular channels between the two countries remain open. Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with Ecuador on 5 April 2024.

Swiss diplomats gather in Andermatt

21.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Central Switzerland has been at the centre of diplomacy this past week: after the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in the canton of Nidwalden, over 200 representatives of Swiss diplomacy met in the canton of Uri from 17 to 20 June 2024 for the annual Ambassadors' Conference. The aim of this year's conference was to discuss the challenges of Switzerland's current foreign policy and strengthen its coherence and the concrete use of diplomacy.

States at Summit on Peace in Ukraine agree on common positions and next steps

16.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
At the close of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on Sunday, 16 June, the vast majority of participating states agreed on jointly formulated positions and next steps with a view to a future peace process. President Viola Amherd commended the joint communiqué that emerged from the Bürgenstock summit as a strong signal from the international community for peace based on international law and the UN Charter. 92 states from all regions of the world took part in the summit, 57 of which were represented by heads of state and government.

Education for children in emergency situations: Switzerland continues its support

14.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Armed conflicts, forced displacement and natural disasters mean that more and more children have no or only limited access to education. At its meeting on 14 June 2024, the Federal Council therefore decided to continue supporting the United Nations Education Cannot Wait (ECW) fund, which is committed to providing access to education in emergency situations and protracted crises. For the 2025–28 period, the Federal Council approved a contribution of CHF 33.3 million to the ECW, which Switzerland has supported with CHF 40 million since 2019.

Ignazio Cassis discusses Ukraine's nuclear facilities with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi

12.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis received Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in Bern on 12 June 2024. The discussions focused on the safety of Ukraine's nuclear facilities and Switzerland's support for the IAEA's work in Ukraine. The meeting is part of a series of high-level exchanges with the IAEA, and underscores the importance that Switzerland attaches to nuclear safety and security and to the IAEA as a whole, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine.

Swiss president meets Portugal’s president and prime minister

12.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
President Viola Amherd met Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on Wednesday, 12 June. The talks in Bern focused on the countries’ close bilateral relations, European policy, the upcoming summit on peace in Ukraine and cooperation between Switzerland and Portugal at multilateral level.

Presentation of credentials

11.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present credentials

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis to attend third Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin

10.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland has been supporting the recovery and reconstruction process in Ukraine since the start of the war. In line with this commitment, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will attend the third Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Berlin on 11 and 12 June 2024, following on from the URCs in Lugano (2022) and London (2023). The Berlin conference will focus, among other things, on private sector involvement, social aspects and the promotion of local and regional development.

Summit on Peace in Ukraine: state of preparations and security measures

10.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
90 states and organisations have so far registered to attend the summit on peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock (NW) on 15/16 June. The aim of the high-level meeting of heads of state and government is to develop a common understanding for a possible path towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. This will then form the basis for a peace process. On 10 June, President Viola Amherd, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and Nidwalden Cantonal Councillor Karin Kayser-Frutschi, together with Stephan Grieder, head of operations and chief of the Nidwalden Cantonal Police, and Major General Daniel Keller, Commander of Territorial Division 2, gave a briefing on the state of preparations and security measures.

Media (3333)

Head of Directorate of International Law signs agreement on legal status of NATO liaison office in Geneva

15.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
NATO is opening a multilateral liaison office in Geneva to engage with the international and non-governmental organisations based there. In Bern today, the director general of the Directorate of International Law at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Franz Perrez, and John Swords, the legal adviser and director of the NATO Office of Legal Affairs, signed an agreement governing the office's legal status.

FDFA launches Action Plan for the Universal Abolition of the Death Penalty 2024-2027

15.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland is continuing to act for a world without capital punishment. Universal abolition is one of the Federal Council's 2024–27 Foreign Policy Strategy objectives and one of the four thematic focus areas of the FDFA's 2021–24 Guidelines on Human Rights. The new action plan translates Switzerland's commitment into concrete measures and sets out its priorities in the fight against the death penalty.

Bilateral relations and global challenges at the heart of Ignazio Cassis's tour of Latin America

15.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis's visit to San José, Costa Rica, today concludes his journey through Latin America. Discussions focused on bilateral and trade relations, the follow-up to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock resort, and global geopolitical challenges and their regional and global impact. In Peru and Costa Rica, the head of the FDFA met with members of the Swiss community at celebrations organised to mark Swiss National Day on 1 August.

Human Rights Council adopts Swiss-led resolution on peaceful protests

12.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
The 56th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), based in Geneva, concludes today after four weeks of intensive work and the adoption of more than 20 resolutions. Switzerland presented a resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, which was adopted by consensus, and participated in discussions on a range of issues and geographical contexts.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on tour in Latin America

08.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
From 10 to 15 July 2024, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will pay an official visit to Brazil, Costa Rica and Peru. The implementation of the Federal Council's Americas Strategy 2022–25 will be at the heart of this trip. With the various meetings also focusing on global geopolitical challenges, there will be opportunities to take stock of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine held on the Bürgenstock in mid-June. Mr Cassis will use his time in Costa Rica and Peru to meet with the Swiss community there. He will conclude his trip with a stop in New York to take part in an open debate at the UN Security Council on the preservation of international peace and security.

Sustainable food systems in spotlight at High-level Political Forum in New York

08.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
Where does the international community stand in the fight against poverty and hunger? This year's High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN in New York will scrutinise the progress made towards implementing these two goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Switzerland is calling for the inclusion of a new indicator to measure food diversity, thereby strengthening food systems.

Ignazio Cassis in Central Asia for talks focusing on economy and international cooperation

03.07.2024 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis' trip to Central Asia ends today. The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) visited Tajikistan before travelling on to Kyrgyzstan. Both countries are part of Switzerland's voting group in the Bretton Woods institutions, and the trip reaffirmed the strong cooperation among the group's members. There was also praise for the positive results of international cooperation programmes in the fields of digitalisation and water.

Meeting of Swiss Bretton Woods constituency in Dushanbe

28.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, together with Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan, will travel to Dushanbe in Tajikistan from 1 to 3 July 2024. There, they will meet with the members of the Swiss constituency in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the two Bretton Woods institutions. Both Federal Councillors will take the opportunity to hold bilateral talks with representatives of the constituency. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will then travel to Kyrgyzstan.

Federal Council to enshrine practice of returning stolen PEP assets in law

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council is set to propose legislative amendments to enshrine in law Switzerland's practice, developed over the last two decades, on the restitution of illicitly acquired assets of foreign politically exposed persons (PEPs). At its meeting on 26 June 2024, it approved the report in response to the postulate of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Council of States (FAC-S) of 4 April 2019, which asked the Federal Council to examine whether legislation in this area should be harmonised.

Switzerland grants CHF 39 million to World Food Programme

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting of 26 June 2024, the Federal Council decided to allocate CHF 39 million to the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) in order to help tackle food insecurity and malnutrition. The WFP is the world's largest humanitarian organisation, fighting hunger across the globe. It is also one of Switzerland's main international cooperation partners.

Switzerland reaffirms its support for activities of International Committee of the Red Cross

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting of 26 June 2024, the Federal Council decided to grant an annual contribution for 2024 of CHF 56 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its operations in crisis-ridden countries. These funds will be used to meet humanitarian needs resulting from armed conflicts. Under the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC has a mandate to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflicts, to provide assistance and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law (IHL).

Ukraine: Federal Council wants to involve private sector more in recovery efforts

26.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
The Swiss private sector is to play a key role in Ukraine's recovery. Switzerland's Federal Council plans to make CHF 500 million available over the next four years to better involve the private sector in these efforts. The funds will come from the CHF 1.5 billion earmarked for Ukraine in the International Cooperation Strategy 2025–28. In addition, the Federal Council intends to provide CHF 66 million to support early recovery in the east of the country as well as the reconstruction and modernisation of basic infrastructure in the areas of energy security, water supply and public transport. All of this was decided by the Federal Council at its meeting on 26 June 2024.

Other news (300)

SwissInTouch, Switzerland in your pocket

24.11.2022 — Article EDA
Approximately 780,000 Swiss citizens abroad currently benefit from the wide range of services provided by a global network of representations offering advice and support. The FDFA Helpline is also on hand to answer queries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now there's a new app that makes staying in touch even easier: SwissInTouch keeps Switzerland at your fingertips.

Speech - 150e anniversaire du passage de la frontière de l’armée du général Bourbaki

29.01.2022 — EDA
Allocution du président de la Confédération Ignazio Cassis, chef du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, à l’occasion du 150e anniversaire du passage de la frontière de l’armée du général Bourbaki - Check against delivery.

"Digitalisation - an opportunity for Europe's democratic values"

21.05.2021 — EDA
Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the 131st (virtual) Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Check against delivery.

Official opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel

04.09.2020 — EDA
Camorino, 04.09.2020 - Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony "Ceneri2020" - Check against delivery

Passaggio di testimone tra generazioni (de-fr-it)

25.08.2020 — EDA
Bern, 25.08.2020: Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the retirement of the ambassadors and the welcoming of the young diplomats who are taking up their posts in the service of the FDFA. Check against delivery.

75 years of the United Nations (fr)

26.06.2020 — EDA
Geneva, 26.06.2020: Address by the Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter - Check against delivery

Opening of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council (fr)

24.02.2020 — EDA
Geneva, 24.02.2020 - Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis - Check against delivery

SDC Newsletter: Africa, CO2 reduction and WEF

29.01.2020 — DEZA
The FDFA has showcased some innovative technology at the 50th WEF, which could reduce global CO2 emissions by millions of tonnes per year. The SDC undertakes a range of projects in the construction industry, working in cooperation with academia and the private sector. The aim of these projects, which are located in emerging economies, is to tackle global warming effectively.

Discover the world with the FDFA and with peace mind

17.01.2020 — Article EDA
Just what is the perfect trip abroad? And where would it take you? Swiss travellers have different needs and expectations – some prefer to go on their own, others would rather choose an organised tour. It doesn't matter if you're a backpacker or a jet-setter: the FDFA provides a wide range of services for anyone who wants to travel abroad.

Honeyland Oscar nominee

14.01.2020 — Article DEZA
Honeyland has been nominated for an Oscar in the categories Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary. The film’s hero, Hatidze Muratova, champions environmental protection and the sustainable management of natural resources. She was discovered through the Nature Conservation Programme launched by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Switzerland and Italy reach an agreement on Campione d'Italia

20.12.2019 — EDA
At its meeting on 20 December 2019, the Federal Council approved an exchange of notes between Switzerland and Italy regarding the change of the customs status of the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia. This exchange of notes is necessary to ensure legal certainty and facilitates the transition of Campione d'Italia into the European Union's customs territory, scheduled for 1 January 2020.

Third meeting of the Working Group on Unresolved Issues established by the Joint Committee supervising the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Russian Federation

19.12.2019 — EDA
On 16 and 17 December 2019 a third meeting of the Working Group on Unresolved Issues established by the Joint Committee, supervising the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the basic principles for a mechanism of customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods, signed on 9 November 2011, took place in Bern.

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