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69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York

Tuesday, 23.09.2014 – Friday, 26.09.2014

Conference Assembly

New York, 23–26 September 2014 – The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, presents the key areas of Switzerland's foreign policy in the framework of the UN at the opening of the general debate of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

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The 69th session of the UN General Assembly has begun in mid-September. The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, is in New York City from 23 to 26 September and attends the opening of the General Debate (on 24 September) and three events organised by Switzerland. The programme also includes participation in additional events on current topics as well as bilateral talks.

Media release, 12 September 2014
The UN General Assembly

Swiss Youth Representative

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, and Damian Vogt, Swiss Youth Representative to the UN, at a press conference during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.
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As Swiss Youth Representative to the United Nations (Youth Rep) and member of the delegation, Damian Vogt represents Swiss youth at the UN General Assembly in 2014. He takes part in the special session on the international conference on population and development beyond 2014 on 22 September, in the general debate and in various side-events during the high-level-week.

Three youth representatives are tasked with informing young people in Switzerland about UN policy.

Official blog of the Swiss Youth Representatives (de)
Projekt «Youth Rep»

In focus

Side Event der Schweiz: Ukraine, OSZE und Europäische Sicherheit

26 September 2014 – On the occasion of its OSCE Chairmanship, Switzerland is organising a side event on the theme "The Ukraine Crisis, the OSCE and the Future of European Security. “The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, chairs a discussion among the OSCE participating States on how the organisation's capacity to act can be strengthened. The discussion also covers the subject of rebuilding European security as a joint project of the participating States of the OSCE.

Statement by the President of the Confederation, Didier Burkhalter,
26 September 2014 (“The OSCE in Ukraine: inclusive dialogue and capability to act”)
Switzerland chairs the OSCE in 2014

 

OCHR high-level event on the abolition of the death penalty

25 September 2014 – In his statement, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, clearly points out that capital punishment is just as incompatible with the right to life and human rights as it is with modern-day justice systems that are not only concerned with punishment but primarily with rehabilitation and reintegration.

He announces that on 10 October 2014, World Day against the Death Penalty, he will launch an appeal on the abolition of the death penalty together with several foreign ministers from around the world.

For years Switzerland has worked hard to create a more humane world, one in which the death penalty no longer exists.

Statement by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter («Leadership and Moving Away from the Death Penalty» fr)
Press release, 25 September 2014 (fr)
DFAE: Towards abolishing the death penalty

Side event by UNAIDS: Gearing up to End the AIDS Epidemic

25 September 2014 – While on the panel of an event organised by UNAIDS, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, states that prevention, treatment, care and support are decisive in reducing the number of new HIV infections. Access for all to the necessary drugs must also be ensured.

The fight against AIDS with the objective of eradicating it altogether by 2030 was discussed also in connection with the post-2015 agenda.

Health care is a priority theme for Swiss international cooperation; it is also one of Switzerland's priorities in the post-2015 process. Owing to the presence of the most important UN agencies in the field of health care in the city, including UNAIDS, Geneva is a major world centre in the fight against AIDS.

Statement by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, 25 September 2014, (“Fast Track: Ending AIDS by 2030”)
Agenda Post-2015
Switzerland in the post-2015 process: Interview with ambassador Michael Gerber

Side event on limiting the veto

25 September 2014 – The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, makes a statement at the French-Mexican side event on limiting the use of the veto in the UN Security Council in cases of the worst violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

Side event on water and disaster relief

25 September 2014 – At this event which is being co-organised by Switzerland, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, highlights the importance of water and disaster relief for sustainable development. Switzerland accords high importance to these two priority concerns of development policy and humanitarian assistance also in the context of the post-2015 process.

Speech by the President of the Swiss Confederation to the UN General Assembly

desire of young people for a world of freedom and mutual respect, where problems can be settled without the use of force and the pursuit of happiness is possible, in his speech to the UN General Assembly, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, calls on states to work together to ensure international security.

desire of young people for a world of freedom and mutual respect, where problems can be settled without the use of force and the pursuit of happiness is possible, in his speech to the UN General Assembly, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, calls on states to work together to ensure international security.

Especially in periods of instability, the nations of the world must unite in action for the good of all, he declares, adding that this includes the prevention of conflicts, which is one of Switzerland’s priorities. For this reason, Switzerland is seeking to ensure that possibilities for prevention can also be built upon within the framework of the United Nations.

Speech by Didier Burkhalter, 24 September 2014 ("Truly United Nations, drawing inspiration from the youth, for the youth")
Speech by Didier Burkhalter, 24 September 2014 (video, Web-TV UN, en)

Reception for heads of state and government hosted by President Barack Obama

23 September 2014 – The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter,

attends the reception for heads of state and government traditionally hosted by the US president as representative of the host state on the evening before the opening of the general debate.

Bilateral discussion with the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon

23 September 2014 – The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, speaks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about multilateral issues and the situation in Ukraine.

The talks take place in the room that Switzerland renovated as a gift to the UN on the occasion of its accession to the organisation in 2002. The room was redecorated last year and is again in pristine condition for the General Assembly.

Global Counter Terrorism Forum Ministerial meeting

23 September 2014 – At the ministerial meeting of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum the President of the Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, presents the establishment of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) in Geneva. The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund is an innovative fund to support local, grass-roots efforts to counter violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations as a contribution to collective efforts to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

“Security measures alone do not suffice to counter terrorism. To be effective in the long run, we must simultaneously reinforce our efforts to prevent the radicalisation of young men and women and to dissuade them from turning to terrorism,” explains President Burkhalter announcing that Switzerland will make a contribution of five million USD to support the GCERF for the first four years.

Statement by Mr Didier Burkhalter at the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the GCTF, 23 September 2014

Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard at Climate Summit 2014

23 September 2014 – Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard participates in the UN’s climate summit, which takes place in New York. The head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) sets out Switzerland’s position for a future international climate regime and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Special Session on Population and Development

General Martin Dahinden is presenting Switzerlands’ position at the Special Session on Population and Development on renewing the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

The Special Session's objective is to renew and ensure political support for the 1994 Cairo Programme of Action for the period beyond 2014.

Side Event: The Equal Futures Partnership

22 September 2014 – The US launched this initiative two years ago with the aim of promoting women's rights and equal opportunities worldwide. To date more than 20 states from all around the world have joined this initiative.

22 September 2014 – The US launched this initiative two years ago with the aim of promoting women's rights and equal opportunities worldwide. To date more than 20 states from all around the world have joined this initiative.

The equal Futures Partnership (en)

 

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Last update 19.12.2018