Press releases

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Botswana's President Masisi on a state visit to Switzerland

01.05.2023 — Press releases EDA
As part of his state visit to Switzerland, Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi and his wife Neo Jane Masisi were received by the entire Federal Council on Monday, 1 May. This was followed by a meeting between President Masisi and a delegation from the Federal Council, led by President Alain Berset, on the development of bilateral relations and their respective positions on current global issues.

European cohesion at centre of this year's meeting of German-speaking foreign ministers in Salzburg

27.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
At the invitation of the Austrian foreign minister, the foreign ministers of the five German-speaking countries met today in Salzburg. The talks focused on Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and its impact on Europe.

Memorial for victims of National Socialism to be built in Bern

26.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council is committed to ensuring that the victims of National Socialist persecution and the Holocaust are not forgotten. At its meeting on 26 April, it approved CHF 2.5 million for a memorial for the victims of National Socialism. The memorial is to be erected in the city of Bern and will be accessible to all. The FDFA has been instructed to draw up a corresponding cooperation agreement with the city of Bern by the summer of 2023.

Federal Council receives Botswana's President Masisi on state visit

25.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi will travel to Switzerland with his wife Neo Jane Masisi for a state visit at the end of the week. Together with President Alain Berset, he will attend the Landsgemeinde in Appenzell Innerrhoden on Sunday 30 April. A reception by the entire Federal Council and political discussions in Bern are scheduled for Monday 1 May. The invitation comes as an acknowledgment of Botswana's democratic traditions and underscores the will to seize the opportunities raised by cooperation. The Federal Council is keen to expand relations with the African continent as a whole.

Ignazio Cassis inaugurates first Swiss embassy to Holy See and meets with Italian and Vatican authorities

21.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
During a three-day visit to Rome, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, officially inaugurated Switzerland's new diplomatic mission to the Vatican. He said that this new presence will strengthen bilateral relations with the Holy See, during his meeting with the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. As part of this official working visit, Mr Cassis also held discussions with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani and the Italian minister of economy and finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti.

Ukraine: Switzerland sends ambulances and more fire engines

13.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland is continuing its long-term support efforts in Ukraine. On Thursday 13 April, local NGOs in Kyiv received five used ambulances donated by the Canton of Basel-Stadt and the City of Zurich. More supplies and training will follow in the weeks to come. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which is part of the FDFA, is funding and organising the transport.

Ignazio Cassis on working visit to Italy and the Vatican

13.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
On 19 April Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will travel to Rome for a three-day working visit and a series of talks with officials of the Holy See and the Italian Republic. The head of the FDFA will meet with the secretary of state of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the secretary for relations with states, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. In addition to opening the new premises of the Swiss embassy to the Vatican, he will meet with Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani and economy and finance minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti.

Swiss Official Development Aid (ODA) in 2022 reaches record high of 0.56% of Gross National Income (GNI) due to war in Ukraine

12.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Swiss ODA amounted to CHF 4.274 billion, with asylum-related costs in Switzerland accounting for more than a quarter of that total. Excluding these asylum costs, the ODA/GNI ratio was 0.40%.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis to visit Cuba and the United States

06.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, will travel to Havana on 10 April to meet his Cuban counterpart Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla. He will then travel to Washington to attend the 2023 spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund on 12 and 13 April. Mr Cassis will then travel on to Chicago to be briefed on the operations of the Swiss consulate general, for the first time since it was reopened in 2019.

Greater environmental protection in European inland navigation

05.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council is committed to uniform rules and greater environmental protection in European inland navigation. At its meeting on 5 April 2023, it adopted a dispatch approving the Strasbourg Convention of 2012 on the Limitation of Liability in Inland Navigation (CLNI 2012) and amending the Federal Act on Navigation under the Swiss Flag (Maritime Navigation Act), as well as approving the amendment to the Convention on the collection, deposit and reception of waste generated during navigation on the Rhine and inland waterways (CDNI).

Switzerland at 2023 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings and G20 Finance Ministers Meeting in Washington

05.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillors Karin Keller-Suter* and Ignazio Cassis, together with Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan, will attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in Washington from 12 to 14 April 2023. A meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors will also take place during the Spring Meetings.

Presentation of credentials

04.04.2023 — Press releases EDA
Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present their credentials

Media (3506)

UN Sustainable Development Goals: Switzerland calls on all stakeholders to step up cooperation

18.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
This year's High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is taking place from 14 to 23 July 2025 at the UN headquarters in New York. The Swiss delegation is being led by Markus Reubi, the Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda at the FDFA and will focus on economic growth and decent work.

State Secretary for Security Policy to travel to Chisinau for security policy dialogue with Moldova

17.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will hold talks on current security policy developments and bilateral cooperation with his counterparts in Chisinau (Moldova) from 17 to 18 July.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Conference: global security and bilateral relations at centre of talks

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
On 10 and 11 July, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Malaysia. His participation underlines South East Asia's growing economic importance to Switzerland. Mr Cassis used the platform to discuss economic ties, bilateral relations and global challenges with his counterparts from Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. For the first time, he also met the new Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand on the margins of the conference.

Victims of National Socialism: Call for proposals to design the memorial in Bern

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
In April 2023, the Federal Council decided to establish a memorial in the centre of Bern for the victims of National Socialism. The Federal Council considers it vital to keep alive the memory of the consequences of National Socialism, as well as the fate of the six million Jews and all other victims of the Nazi regime. On the recommendation of the communal parliament of the City of Bern, the Casinoterrasse near the Federal Parliament was selected as the location for the site of remembrance. A call is now being organised to gather proposals for the its creation from multidisciplinary teams in the fields of art, architecture and history.

Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to reconstruction at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 in Rome

11.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) has been held since 2022 to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. At this year's conference, which took place in Rome from 10 to 11 July, the head of the Swiss delegation, Jacques Gerber, signed an international treaty with Ukraine. This forms the legal basis for increased cooperation with the Swiss private sector in reconstruction. Projects in the areas of health, education and war risk insurance were also approved.

Strengthening economic ties is focus of talks by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis in Nepal and Bhutan

09.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visited Nepal and Bhutan during his week-long trip to Asia from 7 to 9 July. The official talks with government representatives centred on bilateral relations and opportunities for deeper economic cooperation.

Les droits des femmes et la non-discrimination au cœur du travail de la Suisse pendant la 59e session du Conseil des droits de l’homme.

08.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Dans un contexte global marqué par le recul de l’Etat de droit, la Suisse travaille avec détermination en faveur des droits de l’homme. Pour cette 59ème session du Conseil des droits de l’homme (CDH) des Nations Unies, un accent particulier a été placé sur la promotion des droits des femmes et de l’égalité de genre, ainsi que sur les droits des personnes LGBT. La session, qui s'est clôturée aujourd’hui après trois semaines et demie de débats, a été marquée par une adaptation du travail imposée par les restrictions budgétaires affectant l’ensemble du système onusien.

Switzerland reopens its embassy in Iran – ambassador returns to Tehran

06.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
As of today, 6 July 2025, the Swiss embassy in Tehran is open again after having temporarily closed on 20 June due to the unstable situation in Iran. Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano and a small team returned to Tehran yesterday overland via Azerbaijan. The embassy will gradually resume operations.

Ignazio Cassis in Asia for ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and bilateral talks

03.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, will be travelling to Asia from 7 to 13 July 2025. He will attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. His participation highlights the growing economic and geopolitical importance of the South East Asian states. Official working visits to Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore are also planned around the conference.

Presentation of credentials

02.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present their credentials

FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel in Germany for political consultations

01.07.2025 — Press releases EDA
Alexandre Fasel, the state secretary of the FDFA, was in Berlin on 1 July 2025 to hold political consultations with his German counterpart, the state secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, Géza Andreas von Geyr. Talks focused on current geopolitical developments, bilateral issues and the opening of the consultation procedure in Switzerland on the agreements in the new Swiss-EU package. Mr Fasel also met with the state secretary of Germany's Federal Chancellery, Jörg Semmler.

Switzerland attends 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

30.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland will be participating in the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. Organised under the auspices of the United Nations, this global event aims to address financing challenges in order to help achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. The conference will cover a wide range of issues relating to development policy, environmental, economic and social sustainability, and macroeconomics. The Swiss delegation is being led by Patricia Danzi, director general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Other news (151)

SwissInTouch, Switzerland in your pocket

24.11.2022 — Article EDA
Approximately 780,000 Swiss citizens abroad currently benefit from the wide range of services provided by a global network of representations offering advice and support. The FDFA Helpline is also on hand to answer queries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now there's a new app that makes staying in touch even easier: SwissInTouch keeps Switzerland at your fingertips.

Speech - 150e anniversaire du passage de la frontière de l’armée du général Bourbaki

29.01.2022 — EDA
Allocution du président de la Confédération Ignazio Cassis, chef du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, à l’occasion du 150e anniversaire du passage de la frontière de l’armée du général Bourbaki - Check against delivery.

"Digitalisation - an opportunity for Europe's democratic values"

21.05.2021 — EDA
Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the 131st (virtual) Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Check against delivery.

Official opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel

04.09.2020 — EDA
Camorino, 04.09.2020 - Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony "Ceneri2020" - Check against delivery

Passaggio di testimone tra generazioni (de-fr-it)

25.08.2020 — EDA
Bern, 25.08.2020: Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the retirement of the ambassadors and the welcoming of the young diplomats who are taking up their posts in the service of the FDFA. Check against delivery.

75 years of the United Nations (fr)

26.06.2020 — EDA
Geneva, 26.06.2020: Address by the Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter - Check against delivery

Opening of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council (fr)

24.02.2020 — EDA
Geneva, 24.02.2020 - Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis - Check against delivery

Discover the world with the FDFA and with peace mind

17.01.2020 — Article EDA
Just what is the perfect trip abroad? And where would it take you? Swiss travellers have different needs and expectations – some prefer to go on their own, others would rather choose an organised tour. It doesn't matter if you're a backpacker or a jet-setter: the FDFA provides a wide range of services for anyone who wants to travel abroad.

Switzerland and Italy reach an agreement on Campione d'Italia

20.12.2019 — EDA
At its meeting on 20 December 2019, the Federal Council approved an exchange of notes between Switzerland and Italy regarding the change of the customs status of the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia. This exchange of notes is necessary to ensure legal certainty and facilitates the transition of Campione d'Italia into the European Union's customs territory, scheduled for 1 January 2020.

Third meeting of the Working Group on Unresolved Issues established by the Joint Committee supervising the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Russian Federation

19.12.2019 — EDA
On 16 and 17 December 2019 a third meeting of the Working Group on Unresolved Issues established by the Joint Committee, supervising the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the basic principles for a mechanism of customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods, signed on 9 November 2011, took place in Bern.

First Global Refugee Forum in Geneva brings together actors committed to finding shared solutions

17.12.2019 — EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis has opened the Global Refugee Forum together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. The purpose of the forum, which takes place on 17 and 18 December at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, is to find shared solutions to meet the needs of refugees and their host communities.

Federal Council extends freeze on assets relating to Tunisia and Ukraine

13.12.2019 — EDA
On 13 December 2019, the Federal Council decided to extend for one year the preventive freeze on the assets relating to Tunisia and Ukraine. The purpose of this decision is to support the judicial cooperation between Switzerland and these two states.

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