Press releases, 01.05.2023

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, will travel to New York from 3 to 4 May 2023. Switzerland holds the presidency of the UN Security Council this May. Mr Cassis will chair Switzerland's first flagship event at the Security Council on 3 May on the topic of 'building sustainable peace'. Also on the agenda are the Security Council's annual briefing on promoting cooperation between the UN and the OSCE and various bilateral meetings.

In May 2023, Switzerland will hold the presidency of the UN Security Council. The presidency's primary purpose is to ensure that Security Council business runs smoothly so that the council is able to function. Switzerland's one-month presidency will also allow it to focus on its thematic priorities for its 2023–24 membership and to give impetus to the Security Council's work.

On 3 May, Mr Cassis will preside over the first flagship event organised by Switzerland at the UN Security Council. The Security Council's debate will be held under the banner 'Futureproofing Trust for Sustaining Peace' to advance one of the Swiss priorities in the Council, 'building sustainable peace'. The aim of the debate is to review and strengthen the Security Council's confidence-building approaches and instruments in order to build sustainable peace in the face of current and future challenges. At a time marked by multiple wars, Switzerland intends to initiate a critical and constructive debate on the state of the world and the obstacles that the international community must overcome. The aim of this debate is to strengthen international trust and ultimately to contribute to the promotion of peace. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will be among those briefing the Security Council. Promoting respect for human rights and striving to strengthen them are at the heart of the work undertaken in International Geneva and critically important to building trust and sustainable peace.

On 4 May, Mr Cassis will chair the Security Council's annual briefing on UN cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE, whose partnership with the UN marks its 30th anniversary this month, is the world's largest regional security organisation. Russia's military aggression against Ukraine represents a major challenge both for Europe and for the shared values and principles of the OSCE. The briefing will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the OSCE's work in managing crises and finding common solutions for peace and security.


Further information:

Newsletter: sign up for weekly updates from the UN Security Council
Switzerland's presidency of the UN Security Council
News platform: What does Switzerland do in the UN Security Council?


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Last update 19.07.2023

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