Press releases

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Official visit to Bern by the Ghanaian President, John Evans Atta Mills

30.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
President Doris Leuthard, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA), today received the President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills, for an official visit at the Lohn Country Residence in Kehrsatz. The Ghanaian President was accompanied by the Foreign Minister and the Ministers for Trade and Industry, Information and a cabinet minister. At the meeting, agreements were signed on air transport and on a project to promote sustainable public procurement in Ghana.

Federal Councillor Calmy-Rey travels to India for a Meeting with Ministers

24.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Calmy-Rey will meet for talks in New Delhi on Monday with high representatives of the Indian government. The discussions will focus on bilateral issues, e.g., in the domains of finance and science, as well as on regional and international themes.

Ambassadors Conference 2010

23.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
The 2010 Ambassadors Conference starts today in Interlaken. In her opening speech, Mrs Micheline Calmy-Rey, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, said that the days when each country could resolve its problems alone were past. Calling for international cooperation, she explained that this certainly did not mean a loss of independence or an abandonment of sovereignty.

Pakistan: drinking water for 250,000 people

23.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland is stepping up its aid for Pakistan. In several regions the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is launching projects for the disinfection and distribution of drinking water. About 250,000 people are expected to benefit from this. International organisations will receive further support, and in cooperation with the Swiss Red Cross, tents will be distributed to 5,000 people.

Switzerland increases aid for Pakistan

13.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland has increased its emergency aid contributions for flood victims in Pakistan. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs now reckons with a long-term deployment in Pakistan. Four employees of the Swiss humanitarian aid unit (SHA) will set off for the crisis regions this weekend.

SDC Coordinator’s Workshop in Lugano: development cooperation in time of global change

13.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
Those in charge of Swiss development cooperation at home and abroad are set to meet at the SDC Coordinators’ Workshop, on 15-18 August, 2010, in Lugano. At the top of the agenda is the strategic direction of Swiss development cooperation in a changing global environment. The Swiss foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, will also take part in discussions.

FDFA employee Markus Müller to head OSCE police advisory group in Kyrgyzstan

12.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has appointed the Swiss national Markus Müller as head of the Police Advisory Group in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday. The FDFA welcomes this appointment.

Switzerland helps thousands of flood victims in Pakistan

10.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
The situation in Pakistan remains desperate. Switzerland is helping the flood victims by supplying materials and making contributions to international organisations.

Switzerland is helping Russia to fight the fires

10.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
There is no sign of an early end to the fires ravaging Russia. Given the continuing dry weather, a worsening of the situation is likely. Switzerland is supporting Russia in its attempts to combat the fires.

Federal councillor Calmy-Rey appointed to the Global Sustainability Panel by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

09.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has established a special panel for global sustainability. Its task will be to devise new approaches for the solution of global problems in the area of environment and development. The panel will consist of over 20 high ranking personalities. At the request of the Secretary General, Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), will be a member of this panel.

Help for flood victims in Pakistan

05.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
The situation in the flooded regions of Pakistan is increasingly serious. The FDFA has started immediate emergency measures and is considering providing additional aid. A Swiss mission is now assessing the needs on the spot.

First-of-August celebrations with positive stock-taking of the first half of the Swiss Pavilion’s exhibition time in Shanghai

01.08.2010 — Press releases EDA
Today, the Swiss Pavilion, which is organised by Presence Switzerland within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), and the Swiss Club Shanghai together celebrated the First of August at the World Exhibition. With the first half of Switzerland’s presence in Shanghai now behind us, the FDFA takes a positive view of it.

Media (3498)

Ignazio Cassis in Asia for ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and bilateral talks

03.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, will be travelling to Asia from 7 to 13 July 2025. He will attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. His participation highlights the growing economic and geopolitical importance of the South East Asian states. Official working visits to Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore are also planned around the conference.

Presentation of credentials

02.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present their credentials

FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel in Germany for political consultations

01.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Alexandre Fasel, the state secretary of the FDFA, was in Berlin on 1 July 2025 to hold political consultations with his German counterpart, the state secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, Géza Andreas von Geyr. Talks focused on current geopolitical developments, bilateral issues and the opening of the consultation procedure in Switzerland on the agreements in the new Swiss-EU package. Mr Fasel also met with the state secretary of Germany's Federal Chancellery, Jörg Semmler.

Switzerland attends 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

30.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland will be participating in the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. Organised under the auspices of the United Nations, this global event aims to address financing challenges in order to help achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. The conference will cover a wide range of issues relating to development policy, environmental, economic and social sustainability, and macroeconomics. The Swiss delegation is being led by Patricia Danzi, director general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Karin Keller-Sutter to meet Emmanuel Macron in Paris

27.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Karin Keller-Sutter, is to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday, 1 July. The geopolitical situation and security issues will be at the centre of their discussions. Also on the agenda are bilateral relations between Switzerland and France, European policy and competitiveness.

Switzerland to host a global summit on artificial intelligence in 2027

25.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
On 25 June 2025, the Federal Council expressed its intention to host an artificial intelligence (AI) summit in Geneva in 2027.

Security and defence partnership: Federal Council to seek exploratory talks with the EU

25.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 25 June 2025, the Federal Council decided to enter into exploratory talks with the EU with a view to concluding a security and defence partnership. These partnerships provide the EU with a framework for enhancing cooperation with third countries in this field. A security and defence partnership takes the form of non-legally-binding declaration of intent and can be designed individually. A partnership of this kind is a prerequisite for any joint procurements in the defence sector. It is compatible with neutrality and helps to strengthen Switzerland's defence capabilities.

Earthquake simulation exercise: 12 countries train in Kriens to save lives

25.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
The earthquakes in Myanmar in April 2025 and in Turkey in February 2023 claimed countless lives. Internationally deployable rescue teams provide vital assistance in such emergencies, and regular training is key to ensuring the efficiency of their operations. To that end Switzerland is conducting the international earthquake simulation exercise ‘SIMEX25’ in Kriens (canton of Lucerne) from 23 to 27 June. Rescue teams from 12 countries are taking part.

FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel holds political consultations in France

25.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel was in Paris on 25 June 2025 for political consultations. In addition to bilateral topics and cross-border issues, the talks at France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs centred on current geopolitical developments and the opening of the consultation procedure in Switzerland on the agreements in the new Swiss–EU package to stabilise and develop relations.

Switzerland and EU regulate cooperation during ratification phase of package

24.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
On 24 June 2025, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will sign a joint declaration in Brussels. It sets out arrangements for cooperation between Switzerland and the EU from the end of 2024 until the entry into force of the Swiss–EU package. At its meeting on 13 June 2025, the Federal Council approved the agreements, protocols and statements for the new package to stabilise and further develop Switzerland's bilateral approach with the EU and opened the domestic consultation process.

New Swiss ambassadors

20.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
Personnel changes and the conferment of ambassadorial titles will take place in 2025 at several Swiss representations and at the head office of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) as part of the FDFA's periodic transfer rotation and on the basis of appointments made by the Federal Council.

The Federal Council is investing a quarter of a billion Swiss francs to strengthen International Geneva

20.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 20 June 2025, the Federal Council allocated CHF 269 million to International Geneva. It approved an urgent package of measures and a new dispatch on Switzerland as a host state for the period 2026–29. It is thus reaffirming the central role of International Geneva in Swiss foreign policy and its unique place in global governance. The measures are a response to the financial difficulties faced by international organisations and the increasing competition between states to host them. For comparison, the FDFA's contribution to International Geneva over the last four years amounted to almost CHF 2 billion.

Other news (151)

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

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.

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.

First Global Refugee Forum in Geneva brings together actors committed to finding shared solutions

17.12.2019 — EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis has opened the Global Refugee Forum together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. The purpose of the forum, which takes place on 17 and 18 December at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, is to find shared solutions to meet the needs of refugees and their host communities.

Federal Council extends freeze on assets relating to Tunisia and Ukraine

13.12.2019 — EDA
On 13 December 2019, the Federal Council decided to extend for one year the preventive freeze on the assets relating to Tunisia and Ukraine. The purpose of this decision is to support the judicial cooperation between Switzerland and these two states.

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