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.
09.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
The Federal Council today approved Switzerland's new health foreign policy, which will enter into force on 15 March 2012. This policy establishes priorities and defines cooperation between all administrative units in matters of global health policy.
09.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainability, will take place in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from 20 to 22 June 2012. One of the aims of the conference is to define the contribution of a green economy to sustainable development and poverty eradication. The negotiations on the Rio+20 resolution will commence on 19 March 2012 in New York. The Swiss Federal Council issued its mandate to Switzerland’s negotiating delegation on 9 March 2012.
07.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Early last year, Switzerland responded quickly to political upheavals in Northern Africa. Realizing that major security, migration and economic interests depend on stable democratic conditions, Switzerland felt the need to actively support the democratic transition process in this region. On 11 March 2011, the Federal Council issued mandates to three Federal Departments to intensify their activities and quickly develop new and tangible support measures. The three Federal Departments were also instructed to act in a coordinated, coherent and complementary fashion. How does the support programme in Northern Africa look one year later and what has Switzerland achieved?
05.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Swiss Rescue is one of the world's most professional rescue teams. To ensure it meets the highest standards, exercises must be held at regular intervals to practice for the real thing. From 13 to 15 March the unit - around 100 personnel and 12 dogs - will be put through its paces in the presence of Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and the Federal Council's Delegate for Humanitarian Aid, Manuel Bessler. The exercise will be conducted in the greater Geneva area.
05.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will travel to Berlin for a working visit on Wednesday 7 March 2012 where he will meet the German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle. It will be Mr Burkhalter’s first trip to Germany as head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The talks will focus on Switzerland’s relations with the European Union, the Swiss chairmanship-in-office of the OSCE in 2014, as well as a number of Swiss-German bilateral issues.
02.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
The Federal Council has approved the Report on the strategic axes of Swiss Foreign Policy 2012-2015. It will now be transmitted to the Foreign Affairs Committees of Parliament. Four strategic axes have been defined for the next legislative period. In particular, the focus will be on developing Switzerland’s relations with neighbouring States and with the European Union (EU), on working to enhance stability in Europe and in the world, and on consolidating as well as diversifying Switzerland’s strategic partnerships and multilateral commitment. The Report also deals with supporting Swiss citizens living or travelling abroad.
01.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Position - For reasons of security, Switzerland temporarily closed its Embassy in Damascus as of 29 February 2012. Last August, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA had already called the Swiss Ambassador back to Bern for consultations. Furthermore, since November 2011, the FDFA has been calling upon Swiss citizens in Syria to leave the country immediately.
01.03.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic, on 1 March 2012 in Bern on the occasion of an official working visit. The successive OSCE presidencies of Switzerland (2014) and Serbia (2015) were on the agenda for discussion. Various bilateral questions and issues related to the current international situation were also raised during the meeting.
27.02.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Earlier today, representatives of 45 organisations from the Swiss Confederation, the scientific and research communities, the private sector and aid agencies launched the Swiss Water Partnership (SWP) in the presence of SDC Director-General Martin Dahinden. The SWP aims to strengthen the international profile of the Swiss water sector and to create synergies between its members' activities.
27.02.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), opened on Monday the 19th session of the Human Rights Council, in Geneva. In his first speech to the Council, he appealed to the Syrian authorities to end immediately the use of force and other repressive measures against civilians. The situation in Syria is the main item on the agenda of this session of the Human Rights Council. On this occasion, Mr Burkhalter met several of his counterparts currently in Geneva, including the foreign ministers of France, Alain Juppé, and of Iran, Mr Ali Akbar Salehi.
24.02.2012
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Press releases
EDA
Swiss Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, welcomed his counterpart from Bangladesh Dr Dipu Moni on an official working visit. The two ministers reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and discussed various international issues, including the political and economic situation in Asia and climate change.
24.02.2012
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Press releases
EDA
To optimise counter-terrorism coordination between the recently established Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), the UN, and other international and regional organisations, Switzerland hosted an international conference in Interlaken on 23 and 24 February 2012. The conference was organised by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA and opened by Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga. The conference helped coordinate the activities of the various actors in the fight against terrorism and underscored the key role played by the UN.
Last update 23.04.2025
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