Press releases

UN Sustainable Development Goals: Switzerland calls on all stakeholders to step up cooperation

18.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
This year's High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is taking place from 14 to 23 July 2025 at the UN headquarters in New York. The Swiss delegation is being led by Markus Reubi, the Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda at the FDFA and will focus on economic growth and decent work.

State Secretary for Security Policy to travel to Chisinau for security policy dialogue with Moldova

17.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will hold talks on current security policy developments and bilateral cooperation with his counterparts in Chisinau (Moldova) from 17 to 18 July.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Conference: global security and bilateral relations at centre of talks

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
On 10 and 11 July, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Malaysia. His participation underlines South East Asia's growing economic importance to Switzerland. Mr Cassis used the platform to discuss economic ties, bilateral relations and global challenges with his counterparts from Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. For the first time, he also met the new Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand on the margins of the conference.

Victims of National Socialism: Call for proposals to design the memorial in Bern

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
In April 2023, the Federal Council decided to establish a memorial in the centre of Bern for the victims of National Socialism. The Federal Council considers it vital to keep alive the memory of the consequences of National Socialism, as well as the fate of the six million Jews and all other victims of the Nazi regime. On the recommendation of the communal parliament of the City of Bern, the Casinoterrasse near the Federal Parliament was selected as the location for the site of remembrance. A call is now being organised to gather proposals for the its creation from multidisciplinary teams in the fields of art, architecture and history.

Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to reconstruction at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 in Rome

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) has been held since 2022 to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. At this year's conference, which took place in Rome from 10 to 11 July, the head of the Swiss delegation, Jacques Gerber, signed an international treaty with Ukraine. This forms the legal basis for increased cooperation with the Swiss private sector in reconstruction. Projects in the areas of health, education and war risk insurance were also approved.

Strengthening economic ties is focus of talks by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis in Nepal and Bhutan

09.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visited Nepal and Bhutan during his week-long trip to Asia from 7 to 9 July. The official talks with government representatives centred on bilateral relations and opportunities for deeper economic cooperation.

Les droits des femmes et la non-discrimination au cœur du travail de la Suisse pendant la 59e session du Conseil des droits de l’homme.

08.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Dans un contexte global marqué par le recul de l’Etat de droit, la Suisse travaille avec détermination en faveur des droits de l’homme. Pour cette 59ème session du Conseil des droits de l’homme (CDH) des Nations Unies, un accent particulier a été placé sur la promotion des droits des femmes et de l’égalité de genre, ainsi que sur les droits des personnes LGBT. La session, qui s'est clôturée aujourd’hui après trois semaines et demie de débats, a été marquée par une adaptation du travail imposée par les restrictions budgétaires affectant l’ensemble du système onusien.

Switzerland reopens its embassy in Iran – ambassador returns to Tehran

06.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
As of today, 6 July 2025, the Swiss embassy in Tehran is open again after having temporarily closed on 20 June due to the unstable situation in Iran. Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano and a small team returned to Tehran yesterday overland via Azerbaijan. The embassy will gradually resume operations.

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).

Italy

31.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
Today, the Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF), Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, met with Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance, Fabrizio Saccomanni, during his working visit to Bern. After the meeting, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, together with Minister Saccomanni, opened the 2nd Forum for dialogue between Switzerland and Italy.

President Didier Burkhalter to visit Japan to mark 150th anniversary of bilateral relations

29.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
President Didier Burkhalter will travel to Japan between 3 and 6 February. The visit marks the 150th anniversary of bilateral relations between Switzerland and the island nation. The president, who is travelling with his wife, will open the celebrations at a dedicated event. In addition to an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, and a meeting with Crown Prince Naruhito, the programme includes official talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. Japan is Switzerland's second largest economic partner in Asia.

Switzerland and Poland agree on joint declaration to strengthen bilateral cooperation

28.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
During his official visit to Poland, President Didier Burkhalter agreed on a joint declaration with President Bronisław Komorowski in Warsaw today. The declaration envisages regular political discussions and greater cooperation in a range of areas including economic affairs, energy, transport, the environment and tourism. Following his discussion with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, President Burkhalter also signed an agreement on Schengen cooperation with Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. On the second day of his visit to Poland President Burkhalter will travel to Krakow to find out about projects supported by Switzerland as part of its EU enlargement contribution. This will be followed in the afternoon by a visit to the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camps.

Returning stolen assets more efficiently – international experts meet in Switzerland

28.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
At Switzerland's invitation, around 90 international investigators and prosecutors from 30 countries and specialist international organisations met from 26 to 28 January 2014 in Lausanne. Ten years after the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption, they discussed how "potentates' assets" can be identified and returned to the country of origin more efficiently. The participants also held numerous bilateral meetings in the margins of the event to discuss current asset recovery cases, including those relating to Arab spring countries.

President Didier Burkhalter pays an official visit to Poland

27.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
On 27 January President Didier Burkhalter will be received in Warsaw by the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski for an official presidential visit, the equivalent of a state visit in Switzerland. The three bilateral talks with President Komorowski, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski will focus on bilateral relations, European policy, Switzerland's chairmanship of the OSCE, as well as a range of international and multilateral issues. On the morning of 28 January President Burkhalter will travel to Cracow where he will visit projects supported by Switzerland as part of its contribution towards EU enlargement. The afternoon will be set aside for a visit to the concentration camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

Conclusion of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF – Statement by the FDFA

25.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland welcomes today’s signing in Kuala Lumpur of the “Annex on Normalization” and the “Addendum on Bangsamoro waters” to the “Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro” between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which mark the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations between the two parties. This is a momentous milestone towards a long-lasting peace in the southern Philippines. It signals the end of a lengthy and complex negotiation process and demonstrates the parties’ commitment to achieve peace through this historic agreement.

OSCE Chair brings Organization’s proposals for support to Ukraine PM Azarov

24.01.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Switzerland abroad - the size of Canton Vaud

24.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
The 732,183 Swiss citizens living abroad, a group also referred to as the Fifth Switzerland, corresponds in population to the canton of Vaud, Switzerland's third-largest canton. This finding comes from the annual statistics on the Swiss Abroad published by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), in which all Swiss citizens registered at a Swiss representation abroad are entered.

New partnership to support access to health interventions

23.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation join forces to improve access to health interventions through the strengthening of regulatory systems The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve and accelerate access to health interventions and therapeutic products in resource-constraint countries. This should be achieved by coordinating and leveraging resources in a cooperation for the purpose of strengthening regulatory systems in these countries in order to bring quality life-saving medicines to patients as quickly as possible.

Global Green Growth Knowledge Platform Launches Its Geneva Office

22.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) was created to close knowledge gaps in green growth strategies and practice to help countries implement green growth policy. The Geneva office of the GGKP officially opened its doors on 22 January 2014.

Working visit of Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann to Bern

21.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
President of the Confederation Didier Burkhalter and Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf received Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann on 21 January 2014 at the Lohn estate in Kehrsatz for an official working visit. Besides bilateral relations, their discussions centred on Switzerland's policy on Europe, fiscal matters, multilateral issues and the upcoming conference on Syria in Montreux.

State visit by the president of the Republic of Korea, Park Geun-hye, in Bern

20.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
On Monday, 20 January 2014, the president of the Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, received his South Korean counterpart, Park Geun-hye, in Bern for a two-day state visit. During the visit, Switzerland and the Republic of Korea signed several documents with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the areas of social insurance, the economy, health care and research, as well as institutionalising their political dialogue. Three other Federal Councillors took part in the talks conducted by the two presidents.

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.