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 News Service of the Federal Administration.
21.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, representatives of the entire food production chain took part in a very special dinner at the invitation of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss Biovision Foundation and the Millennium Institute. Producers, traders, consumers and representatives from the political arena met at the Rio+20 Sustainability Conference to engage in a dialogue about food security and environmentally friendly farming.
20.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Today the Mountain Pavilion at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable development, Rio+20, was officially opened. The Pavilion, which is hosted by Peru in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and other actors, calls attention to the specific concerns of mountain regions and their partnership. The aim is to ensure that the concerns of mountain regions are addressed in the outcome document and to pave the way for a global agenda for sustainable mountain development.
19.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Former Federal Councillor and former President of the Confederation Samuel Schmid is representing Switzerland at the ceremonies organised for foreign dignitaries in Saudi Arabia to mark the death of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz al Saud. Mr Schmid will present the condolences of the Swiss government to the Saudi royal family on 19 June 2012 in Jeddah. He will be accompanied by the Swiss ambassador to Saudi Arabia and by the Swiss Consul General in Jeddah.
18.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Switzerland has approved a total of 210 projects in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe that became EU-Member States (EU-10) in 2004, with the aim of contributing to the reduction of the economic and social disparities in the enlarged European Union. In so doing, Switzerland has fulfilled the objective set down for the first phase of the Enlargement Contribution, namely that of concluding – within the commitment deadline of 14 June 2012 - project agreements with the EU-10 in whose financing it would participate with a total amount of CHF 1 billion. Following the five-year funding commitment period, the implementation phase is now to follow. This latter phase is scheduled to come to an end in June 2017, the deadline by which the projects agreed upon are obliged to have been concluded.
16.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
The final preparatory conference for the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development was forced to conclude without agreement on the night of Friday, 15 June. Negotiations will now continue under the aegis of Brazil. The commitment to sustainable development is due to be renewed and greater significance given to the green economy at the summit.
15.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
After holding consultations with the Foreign Affairs Committees of the National Council and the Council of States, the cantons and social partners, the Federal Council today approved the final wording of the principles for institutional solutions with the EU. The consultations showed that there is support for the general direction proposed by the Federal Council. The Federal Council will now inform the EU of its proposals.
14.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
The Corporate Sustainability Forum (CSF), which brings together businesses committed to sustainable development, meets on 15-18 June in Rio de Janeiro, just prior to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. CSF input will then be included in the Rio+20 conference agenda. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) are both partners of the Forum. The SDC will conduct a session on ways to ensure that small-scale farms are able to protect themselves against crop failures and climate change. The SECO on the other hand is hosting three side events: on sustainability standards, reporting and efficient utilisation of production resources.
14.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
On 14 June 2012, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, received Ms Navanethem Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for an official working visit. Switzerland is one of the main donors to the UN High Commission for Human Rights, an important institution in the UN system.
11.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
From 11 to 19 June 2012, in a series of video messages on the Swiss internet platform www.rio20.ch, a number of famous people will be giving their views on the UN Conference on Sustainable Development to be held from 20 to 22 June in Rio de Janeiro. They include President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, Bertrand Piccard and skier Lara Gut.
08.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
On 8 June 2012, the Federal Council appointed the Swiss delegation to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development from 20 to 22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The federal government will be represented by President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf and Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. The conference should renew the commitment to sustainable development and provide a forum for discussing the green economy at the highest political level.
07.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will represent Switzerland in Istanbul this Thursday at the ministerial meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum – GCTF. This body, established in September 2011 in New York, consists of 29 states from all the regions of the world and the European Union. Its function is to identify national and international needs in the field of counterterrorism, to conduct coordination activity whenever necessary and to work out relevant solutions.
06.06.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Switzerland will open an embassy in Myanmar in the summer of this year. This step is intended as an acknowledgement of the country's great potential, both economically and as a tourist destination. It also does justice to Myanmar's growing openness to democracy and political change following half a century of authoritarian rule. Switzerland will also strengthen its development cooperation to support the country’s transition to democracy.
Last update 23.04.2025
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