CommunicationPublished on 31 January 2020

New strategic framework for Swiss foreign policy

Peace and security, prosperity, sustainability, and digitalisation are the foreign policy priorities for the next four years. At its meeting on 29 January, the Federal Council approved Switzerland's foreign policy strategy for the next four years. The strategy also defines clear regional objectives worldwide, with a special focus on the EU, and new objectives for the external network and foreign policy communication.

The priorities of the Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–2023 at a glance: peace and security, prosperity, sustainability, digitalisation. — © DFAE

Shifts in the geopolitical balance of power, fragmentation of the world trade order, and environmental and migration challenges are all driving hardly predictable change. Against this backdrop, foreign policy has an increasingly important role to play.

The Federal Council is therefore committed to ensuring the coherence, effectiveness and credibility of Swiss foreign policy based on the principles of consistency, trust and Swiss traditions. It also wishes to define new focus areas and appropriate instruments for a world that is becoming increasingly volatile.

• Federal Council Media Conference, Live Youtube, 30.01.2020
• Federal Council sets out foreign policy priorities for 2020–23, press releases, 30.01.2020
• Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23, FDFA
• Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23 Overview, FDFA
• Foreign policy strategy and implementation