Press releases

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Education in crisis situations: Switzerland reinforces its commitment

09.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
Armed conflicts, forced displacement, natural catastrophes and other crises have left 222 million children around the world with little or no access to education. On 9 November 2022 the Federal Council decided to continue its commitment to education in crisis situations, authorising a contribution of CHF 25 million to the Education Cannot Wait fund for the period 2022–24.

Ignazio Cassis in Paris for meeting with Emmanuel Macron on occasion of Paris Peace Forum

08.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis will visit Paris on 11 and 12 November 2022. On this occasion, he will participate in the 5th edition of the Paris Peace Forum and will hold talks with the president of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. Their discussions will focus on bilateral relations, the war in Ukraine and Swiss–EU relations.

Focus on vocational education and training during Switzerland visit by Georgian Minister of Education and Science

08.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, received the Georgian Minister of Education and Science, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, for a courtesy visit on 8 November. The Georgian minister also discussed education, research and innovation (ERI) with State Secretary Martina Hirayama.

COP27: President of the Swiss Confederation urges international community to keep 1.5°C target in sight

07.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
President Ignazio Cassis has represented Switzerland at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. During his speech, Mr Cassis stated that this year's edition must not be the one to abandon the 1.5°C target. The conference’s aim is to promote implementation of the Paris climate agreement.

Flooding in Nigeria and Chad: Switzerland releases CHF 1.5 million to help victims

04.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
Nigeria and Chad are caught up in the throes of deadly floods. Switzerland is very concerned about the situation, which raises fears of increased food insecurity. It has decided to allocate CHF 750,000 as an emergency response to the crisis in Nigeria, and an additional CHF 300,000 for Chad.

President Cassis and Federal Councillor Sommaruga to attend UN COP27 Climate Conference

04.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
President Ignazio Cassis and Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga will represent Switzerland at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will take place in Sharm el-Sheik (Egypt) from 7 to 18 November. The key topic of the conference is how to achieve the existing goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. This requires an effective work programme for climate protection that places the onus on the countries and sectors with the highest emissions. Switzerland will also push for global investment in climate protection at COP27.

Switzerland adopts sanctions on the supply of Iranian drones to Russia

02.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs and Energy (EAER), which is responsible for sanctions, has decided together with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to adopt the EU sanctions concerning the delivery of Iranian drones to Russia. However, the two departments have decided not to adopt the EU sanctions imposed on Iran in connection with the current protests. The decision was made taking into account all of Switzerland's domestic and foreign policy interests, including Switzerland's good offices in Iran. The Federal Council was informed of this decision at its meeting on 2 November. At the same time, Switzerland once again condemns the use of force by the Iranian security forces in connection with the current protests and calls on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations at bilateral and multilateral level.

Switzerland contributes to World Bank's pandemic-focused Financial Intermediary Fund

02.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council has decided to provide financial support to the World Bank's Financial Intermediary Fund for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.

Winter Aid Action Plan: Switzerland helps Ukraine through the winter

02.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 2 November 2022, the Federal Council adopted an action plan to mitigate the impact of the coming winter on the people of Ukraine. Switzer-land is providing CHF 100 million in aid, in particular for projects financing the urgent rehabilitation of Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The humanitarian situ-ation of those affected by the war in Ukraine has become even more precarious in recent weeks due to targeted attacks on energy infrastructure and basic supplysystems.

Digital sovereignty: President Cassis wants to strengthen Switzerland's capacity to act in the digital space

01.11.2022 — Press releases EDA
Under the chairmanship of President of the Confederation Ignazio Cassis, the Digital Switzerland advisory committee has examined the topic of Switzerland's digital sovereignty. Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr and experts from academia, business and politics also joined the discussion, which examined the question of how Switzerland can ensure the free flow of data without compromising data protection. The topic of digital sovereignty is part of the Digital Foreign Policy Strategy 2021–2024 of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

President Ignazio Cassis to travel to Romania

31.10.2022 — Press releases EDA
On Thursday, 3 November, President Ignazio Cassis will travel to Romania, where he will meet with President Klaus Werner Iohannis, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and the presidents of both chambers of the Romanian parliament. In Bucharest, President Cassis will sign an agreement implementing Switzerland’s second contribution. Further topics likely to be addressed during the visit include the war in Ukraine and Switzerland’s relations with the European Union.

Federal Council adopts report in response to postulate on neutrality

26.10.2022 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council adopted the report in response to the postulate on neutrality at its meeting on 26 October 2022. The report concludes that current neutrality practice provides sufficient scope to use neutrality as an instrument of Swiss foreign and security policy in the present international context.

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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.

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.

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).

Karin Keller-Sutter to meet Emmanuel Macron in Paris

27.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Karin Keller-Sutter, is to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday, 1 July. The geopolitical situation and security issues will be at the centre of their discussions. Also on the agenda are bilateral relations between Switzerland and France, European policy and competitiveness.

Security and defence partnership: Federal Council to seek exploratory talks with the EU

25.06.2025 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 25 June 2025, the Federal Council decided to enter into exploratory talks with the EU with a view to concluding a security and defence partnership. These partnerships provide the EU with a framework for enhancing cooperation with third countries in this field. A security and defence partnership takes the form of non-legally-binding declaration of intent and can be designed individually. A partnership of this kind is a prerequisite for any joint procurements in the defence sector. It is compatible with neutrality and helps to strengthen Switzerland's defence capabilities.

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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