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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.

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Negotiations on linking of Swiss and EU emission trading schemes concluded

25.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
Negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) on linking their emissions trading schemes have concluded. Bruno Oberle, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment (until the end of 2015), Dominique Paravicini, Deputy Director of the Directorate for European Affairs (DEA), and Jos Delbeke, Director General of the EU’s Directorate-General for Climate Action, have initialled the agreement. The expansion of the international CO2 market by linking national or regional emissions trading schemes can provide an effective means of combating climate change.

Swiss development cooperation: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter calls for immediate implementation of 2030 Agenda

22.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was the key focus area at this year's annual conference of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The 17 goals of the global 2030 Agenda will play a decisive role in Swiss development policy over the coming years. The speakers and experts dealt with different aspects of the Agenda: the negotiations, the implementation and financing, and what it means for Switzerland. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter spoke specifically of how it relates to Swiss policy. The opening speech was made by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The Syrian conflict, extremism and migration: Federal Councillor Burkhalter underlines the UN's key role in resolving conflicts

22.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed the situation in several crisis regions during a working lunch in Zurich today. Other topics under discussion were the migration crisis, the fight against violent extremism and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mr Burkhalter stressed that implementing the agenda, which was adopted in autumn 2015, now requires immediate attention.

WEF: Didier Burkhalter discusses possibility of a safeguard clause with representatives of EU states

21.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter used his presence at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos as an opportunity to meet with the foreign ministers of various EU member states. His talks with the representatives of France (Fabius), Italy (Gentiloni) and Poland (Waszczykowski) centred on a mutually agreed safeguard clause as a solution on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons.

Switzerland officially confirms its participation in Expo Astana 2017

21.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
The next world fair will take place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, from 10 June to 10 September 2017. Under the motto of 'Future Energy', participating states will address the issue of the sustainable use of limited resources. With the conclusion of a participation agreement with Expo Astana 2017 on 21 January 2016, Switzerland formally confirmed to the organisers of the world fair the decision taken by the Federal Council on 22 April 2015.

WEF: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter stresses Switzerland's willingness to provide comprehensive support for Syria peace talks

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and the American Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Kerry. © Keystone

21.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter discussed with various partners the situation in the Middle East and possibilities to end the Syrian conflict. He underscored the need to clarify the steps to a peaceful solution through dialogue, which was why every effort must be undertaken to ensure that the Syria talks are able to go ahead next week in Geneva. One topic of his meetings, including those with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif, was also humanitarian access to those in need in the conflict zones.

State Secretary Jacques de Watteville to remain chief negotiator for negotiations with European Union after reaching retirement age

20.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
The State Secretary for the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF), Jacques de Watteville (64), will leave SIF at the end of June 2016 due to his age. He will continue to act as the chief negotiator, with the rank of state secretary, for all of the negotiations with the European Union after retiring.

Programme of members of the Federal Council attending the WEF Annual Meeting 2016

19.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council considers the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to be of great importance for Davos and for Switzerland. Each year, this event brings together leading figures from business and politics for informal exchanges. In view of the current economic and political challenges, the opportunity for such direct contact among decision-makers is extremely valuable.

Switzerland welcomes agreement on releasing Iranian and American prisoners

Ein Mann verlässt ein Flugzeug der Schweizer Air Force in Genf. Davor stehen Sicherheitskräfte und andere Personen.

17.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland welcomes the agreement between Iran and the United States which has made possible the release of eleven prisoners. At the request of both parties, Switzerland provided its good offices to facilitate the conclusion of the agreement.

Burkina Faso: two Swiss citizens among the victims

16.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
A large number of people were killed and injured in terrorist attacks on a hotel and restaurant in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) on Friday night. Two Swiss citizens were also among the victims. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), strongly condemns the attacks and wishes to express his deepest sympathies to the relatives of the victims.

Didier Burkhalter visits Beijing to strengthen bilateral relations with China

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. © FDFA

15.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday in Beijing as part of the political dialogue between Switzerland and China. At this sixth round of talks since the dialogue between the two countries began in 2007, the agenda included the development of bilateral relations at the political, economic and financial levels, as well as an exchange of views on key foreign policy issues.

Swiss ambassador appointed OSCE special representative for the South Caucasus

14.01.2016 — Press releases EDA
The Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has appointed Swiss Ambassador Günther Bächler as the special representative for the South Caucasus during Germany's chairmanship of the OSCE. He took up the post of special representative on 1 January 2016 upon Germany's assumption of the chairmanship. The Federal Council yesterday reconferred the title of ambassador on Mr Bächler.

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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