COVID-19

The consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are particularly severe in developing countries. The FDFA has taken immediate action to mitigate the economic and health effects of the crisis there. It is providing emergency humanitarian aid, supporting international action, and focusing on the management of COVID-19 in ongoing bilateral and global development programs. Furthermore, Switzerland also provides assistance in the area of peace policy.

COVID-19 has an impact on our lives in Switzerland and abroad. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) summarises the most important information regarding travelling and living abroad in its COVID-19 news ticker. The information is constantly being added to.

From 1 to 6 August, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis is travelling to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Switzerland maintains specific and long-standing relations with the three countries. All three are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – an important regional organisation for Switzerland. The region is also home to many Swiss nationals. On the trip, Mr Cassis hopes to gain an insight into how Swiss expatriate communities are faring in times of COVID.

The COVID-19 health crisis in India has been intensifying dramatically over the past few weeks. Switzerland is responding and providing aid. A Swiss cargo plane headed for New Delhi took off from Zurich at noon today with medical supplies, including 50 ventilators from the Armed Forces Pharmacy and oxygen concentrators. Manuel Bessler, head of Swiss Humanitarian Aid, is coordinating this relief operation. In this interview, he shares some background information.

In this guest article for the NZZ, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis takes his own look back at an extraordinary year – a whirlwind 12 months that left little time for reflection amid ever-changing case numbers. Cassis addresses a number of questions. Who decides how much a human life is worth? How important are open borders? And how will we make sense of it all whenever normality returns?

Twelve representatives of Switzerland's cantons, communes and cities sit in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The Congress is an important forum that gives a voice to the local and regional authorities of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, allowing them to share their insight and defend local and regional democracy. Five members of the Swiss 2021–26 delegation talk about their work and motivation.