Bilateral relations

A Swiss delegation will participate in the United Nations Water Conference from 22 to 24 March. It will emphasise the importance of the transboundary management of this vital resource, which is at the heart of the country's Blue Peace initiatives beyond its borders. The latest news on Switzerland's participation in the UN 2023 Water Conference.

The Federal Council adopted the Americas Strategy 2022–25 in February 2022. Ambassador Mirko Giulietti, who heads the FDFA's Americas Division, takes stock of the new strategy's first year and focuses on two countries with developments of particular interest to Switzerland: leading the advisory group for the Colombian peace talks and transforming the embassy in Haiti into a humanitarian office.

Over the past 30 years, the Kantha Bopha children's hospitals founded by Dr Beat Richner have significantly improved healthcare for people in Cambodia. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has backed these efforts since the very beginning and will continue to support the hospitals until 2027. SDC Director General Patricia Danzi signed an agreement to this effect with the Kantha Bopha Foundation on 17 February 2023.

At its meeting of 15 February 2023, the Federal Council adopted the first strategy focused on South East Asia. With thematic focus areas derived from Switzerland's foreign policy, the strategy defines objectives and measures to be realised by 2026. Peace and security, prosperity, sustainability and digitalisation are the topics that will structure the work to deepen relations with the 11 countries of this dynamic region.

Switzerland and Belgium have more in common than a word in French for the number 70 – they both have a federalist system, share two of the same national languages, and have remarkably similar territory and population sizes. In the run-up to President Cassis' visit to Belgium, let's take a look at some of the more curious facts that unite these two countries, which share rich and close ties in a number of fields.

One year after the Taliban's abrupt return to power, living conditions for many people – particularly women and girls – have deteriorated under the new regime. Although the Swiss cooperation office in Kabul was forced to close its doors due to security reasons, the SDC is still active in Afghanistan and can rely on its existing networks there, says Walburga Roos.