Here you can find the last 12 media releases and other news published by the FDFA, such as statements, announcements and articles, in chronological order.
All media releases can be found on the Administarions's website.
15.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
The state of the Millennium Development Goals will be under review at the Millennium+10 Summit in New York in September. Fact: more than a billion people are suffering from hunger today. The world is still far from respecting everyone’s right to food. There are however approaches for a sustainable global food system that hold out the promise of development even for poor countries. This problem and ways to improve food supplies were discussed by Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, State Secretary Jean-Daniel Gerber and SDC Director Martin Dahinden as well as other speakers from Switzerland and abroad at the annual joint conference of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
15.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
By 2025, one in two people will suffer from a lack of fresh water. Population growth, uncontrolled urbanisation, migration, and climate change will place greater demands on the planet’s water resources, making water security one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. Switzerland, whose stewardship of its own water resources has been exemplary, continues to pursue its decades-long international commitment to the water sector. Nevertheless, given the growing complexity of water-related problems, Switzerland needs to step up its own efforts and those of the multilateral organisations to which it belongs. On 15 September, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) hosted a public forum in Berne, during which it reviewed activities to date and launched a discussion on new ways to tackle the global water challenge.
15.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
President Doris Leuthard, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA), and Federal Councillor Hans-Rudolf Merz, head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF), today received Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, at the Lohn country residence in Kehrsatz. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Finance Minister Luc Frieden and Minister of Economic Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jeannot Krecké. Discussions focussed on bilateral relations, economic, financial and fiscal issues as well as on the European policy of both countries.
15.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
The high-level meeting of the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly in the third week of September will be attended by the President of the Confederation Doris Leuthard and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey. Mrs Leuthard will speak on 23 September in the general debate. Mrs Calmy-Rey will attend the newly established Panel on Global Sustainability whose first meeting will be on 19 September. She will also attend a meeting on 20 September to take stock of the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals so far. The 65th session of the General Assembly will be chaired by former Federal Councillor Joseph Deiss.
14.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) welcomes U.S. citizen Sarah Shourd’s release from Iranian detention on September 14, 2010. In the framework of the protecting power mandate for the U.S., for more than a year the FDFA has been engaged in Iran in working toward a solution in the case of three imprisoned U.S. citizens, including Sarah Shourd. The FDFA will continue its efforts on behalf of the two Americans remaining in detention.
13.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
Tuesday 14 September will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the People's Republic of China. Since 1950, and especially since the policy of opening and reform in China, bilateral relations have steadily intensified and diversified. In the course of 2010, various events will be held in Switzerland and in China to celebrate this anniversary.
08.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
At its meeting on 8 September 2010 the Swiss Federal Council approved the dispatch on Switzerland’s participation in the increases in the capital of the multilateral development banks for the attention of the Swiss Parliament. Switzerland is expected to contribute a payment of 167 million Swiss francs. The increases in the capital are needed as the multilateral development banks have reached their lending limits sooner than planned due to their contribution towards combating the financial and economic crisis.
08.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
Today and tomorrow, 8 and 9 September, the Federal Council will be hosting a state visit to Switzerland by the German President, Christian Wulff. Following his arrival at Zurich airport, the President will be received in Bern with military honours where official talks will take place. The programme on Thursday will include visits with an emphasis on science and research.
07.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
The president of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, the Bulgarian Minister for EU Funds Management Tomislav Donchev, and the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi, signed the bilateral framework agreements with Bulgaria and Romania on September 7, 2010. The agreements stipulate the content and implementation of the Swiss enlargement contribution to those countries. First projects will presumably be selected and implemented towards the end of 2010.
03.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
A project submitted by the Universities of Bern, Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Zurich, in association with the Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch, the University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland (PHZ) and Humanrights.ch (MERS) has won a federal contract as a Swiss Competence Centre for Human Rights. The Centre will begin its work in 2011.
03.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
On 2 September 2010, the Swiss professor of international law, Helen Keller, was re-elected to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations. Switzerland, which attaches great importance to the work of the Human Rights Committee, wishes to express its great pleasure about the election of the Swiss candidate.
01.09.2010
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Press releases
EDA
The Federal Council has decided to request increased funds in order to continue Switzerland’s traditional aid to Eastern Europe by approving a relevant dispatch to parliament at today’s Federal Council meeting. The Federal Council requests that parliament increase the CHF 730 million in funds granted in the framework credit approved in June 2007 by CHF 290 million. This replenishment would ensure the continuation of assistance to the countries of South-Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union up until the end of 2012.
Last update 19.07.2023
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