News overview Bilateral relations

The 1962 Évian Accords ended the Algerian War; Bern and Switzerland played a discreet but key, little-known role.

Thirty years after the first post-war elections, Switzerland as OSCE Chair supports Bosnia and Herzegovina toward the 2026 parliamentary elections with reforms.

On the occasion of Federal Councillor Cassis’s visit on 19 February, Romansh will also be spoken in Slovenia. An interview on the topics of the meetings with Swiss Ambassador Gabriele Schreier.

On 20 October 2025, Colombia transferred a copy of its Truth Commission's digital archive to Switzerland. The files document 29,000 testimonies of human rights violations.

New laws drafted with Swiss support and aimed at making water management more efficient will come into force in Uzbekistan on 31 October 2025.

The palace embodies the close ties between Switzerland and Italy. On 9 May, Federal Councillors Ignazio Cassis and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider signed an agreement at the palace.

Assets returned from Switzerland are funding upgrades to maternity units in Uzbekistan.

With the Geneva Consultations, Switzerland is channelling expertise from International Geneva into efforts to strengthen UN peacebuilding.

On 24 January 2025, a first tranche of compensation was paid to 27 Swiss farms and dozens of others owned by Dutch, German, Danish and Serbian nationals.

Who is Emílio Goeldi and why is he so well known in Brazil? We answer this question a few months ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Launched in 2013, the 'Forum for Dialogue between Switzerland and Italy' has evolved and has been updated.

Since September 3, 2023, Switzerland once again has a diplomatic presence in Iraq. The previous embassy was closed in 1991 due to the 1991 Gulf War. The Federal Council aims to strengthen bilateral relations with Iraq and deepen cooperation in economic, security and migration matters. This move also fulfils an objective of the Federal Council's MENA Strategy 2021–24 adopted in 2020.

Description of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan in the context of Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis' visit to the two countries.

Switzerland takes on the protecting power mandate for Ecuador and Mexico and ensures that diplomatic and consular channels between the two countries remain open.

The Brazilian foreign minister's Swiss origins were one of several topics during his meeting with Ignazio Cassis.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will visit Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya from 17 to 22 March 2024 as part of his trip to sub-Saharan Africa.

The Confederation and the Conference of Cantonal Governments chaired EUSALP in 2023.

Peace process in Colombia: Switzerland to serve as guarantor state in negotiations between government and rebels

The USA and Iran have each released five Iranian and American prisoners respectively. Switzerland was involved in the prisoner exchange as part of its good offices.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will hold numerous bilateral meetings and participate in thematic events in New York.

As part of a working visit to Asia and Oceania, which includes stops in Jakarta, Singapore, Sydney, and Wellington, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will celebrate this year's Swiss national day with members of the country's diaspora. At the end of 2022, there were more than 800,000 Swiss citizens living abroad.

In a video interview the new Swiss ambassador to Ukraine and Moldova, Félix Baumann, explains the priorities and tasks of his new role.

Interview with Stefano Toscano, Director of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), about their support in the fight against landmines.

The Director of the Fondation Suisse de déminage (FSD) explains the organisation's activities, particularly in Ukraine, in an interview.

The fighting has created a precarious security situation for people in Sudan. The FDFA is considering evacuation options for around 100 Swiss nationals.

The UN Water Conference will take place in New York from 22 to 24 March 2023. A Swiss delegation is participating.

Mirko Giulietti, who heads the FDFA's Americas Division, talks about their strategy for the region, Switzerland's role in the Colombian peace process, and the new humanitarian office in Haiti.

The Federal Council has launched its South East Asia Strategy – the fifth geographical strategy following up on the Foreign Policy Strategy 2020-2023.

In the run-up to President Cassis' visit to Belgium, an overview of Swiss-Belgian relations – taking in the more curious side of things.

One year after the Taliban's abrupt return to power, the SDC remains active in Afghanistan in order to help people whose living conditions have deteriorated under the new regime.

At the beginning of July, the priorities for the recovery of Ukraine were discussed in Lugano. Questions and answers on the objectives and the organisation of the international conference.

The International Criminal Court is investigating indications of war crimes in Butcha and other places in Ukraine.

Peacebuilding is one of the priorities of Switzerland's foreign policy. The FDFA also relies on religious actors in its peacebuilding efforts, as they often have an open channel to conflicting parties.

This year, Switzerland celebrates 100 years of its diplomatic presence in the Kingdom of Morocco. It all began with the opening of the first representation in Casablanca. A century later, relations have expanded considerably and are very wide-ranging. Morocco is a major partner in the implementation of the Federal Council's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) strategy. This anniversary highlights the strong ties that bind the two countries.

On 2 November, Switzerland and Indonesia celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. Batik culture, an economic partnership agreement that came into force on 1 November, Swiss vocational education and training in Indonesia, traditional shadow theatre, gamelan music, a hand-made road and Swiss disaster relief – the stories behind an excellent partnership.

On 29 October 2021, Federal Councillor Cassis launches the process ‹On the Road to Lugano› in preparation for the Ukraine Reform Conference 2022, to be held in Switzerland. Increasing responsibility at local level, lowering the cost of heating, contributing towards conflict prevention – Switzerland has been supporting Ukraine for more than 20 years in the areas of international cooperation, peacebuilding and humanitarian aid. Thanks to this long-standing engagement and its chairmanship of the conference, Switzerland will be able to make a lasting contribution in 2022 to stability and prosperity in Ukraine.

The ties that bind: the first peoples of Australia, Swiss aircraft, cultural exchanges, scientific cooperation, wine and koalas.

Switzerland maintains long-standing bilateral relations with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. They are also important regional partners through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Ambassador Patric Franzen is the new Head of the Europe Division in the FDFA and Deputy State Secretary.

Switzerland and the Baltic States are celebrating 100 years of bilateral relations and 30 years of renewed ties since the end of the Soviet era. A collection of messages.

Press release: Biden – Putin summit: strengthened air policing and airspace restrictions

Ambassador Siri Walt is leading a delegation to Khartoum to sound out how Switzerland can leverage its support for the democratisation process in Sudan.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis is visiting Iraq, Oman and Lebanon from 3–8 April. There he will meet with various representatives to discuss the priorities set out in the Federal Council's MENA Strategy and will be updated on the humanitarian situation there.

Switzerland's perspective on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 24 December 2020 between the EU and the UK.

Swiss Humanitarian Aid completed the first phase of its mission following the earthquake in Croatia. Ambassador Emilija Georgieva reports from Zagreb.

The survey of Federal Administration employees and the FDFA's survey of local personnel provided much positive feedback on the work situation of staff at the FDFA.

Switzerland's new Sub-Saharan Africa Strategy focuses on four key thematic areas: peace, security and human rights; prosperity; sustainability; and digitalisation.

The recent incidents around the Capitol on 6 January 2021 have been followed with great concern by the FDFA. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and State Secretary Livia Leu have issued statements in response.

Stories of partnership, tourism, diplomacy, economic affairs, science, culture and sport between Switzerland and China.

Switzerland's contribution to the new barracks of the Swiss Guard comes 100 years after it resumed diplomatic relations with the Vatican.

In 1920 Switzerland restored diplomatic ties with the Vatican after a 50-year break. Today, there is potential for them to build on the good bilateral relations they have forged since then.

Humanitarian actions by Switzerland and the Vatican in World War I paved the way for the resumption of diplomatic relations, says historian Lorenzo Planzi.

50 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Albania. An interview with Adrian Maître, Swiss ambassador to Tirana.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis talks to kath.ch about his upcoming meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and gives us a personal insight into his relationship with the Catholic faith.

In an interview with the NZZ, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis talks about the negotiations with the EU and the institutional framework agreement.

In its MENA strategy, the Federal Council sets out its foreign policy priorities for the Middle East and North Africa for the period 2021–24.

On 6 October Ignazio Cassis met with the Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček. Among the topics discussed were the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis paid an official visit to San Marino on 1 October 2020.

In an interview during a visit to Liechtenstein, Ignazio Cassis speaks about the relationship between the two countries and Switzerland's European policy.

A series of 60-second videos illustrates aspects of relations between Switzerland and the European Union.

On 12 September 2020, several political parties in Georgia have signed a code of conduct to promote peaceful elections and a fair election campaign. The code was facilitated by Georgia's Central Election Commission with Switzerland's support.

The International Bern Welcome Desk offers services for the staff of foreign embassies, consulates and international organisations.

In 2020, Switzerland celebrates a hundred years of its diplomatic presence in Iran. Ambassador Markus Leitner emphasises the good relations, multi-sectoral exchanges and trust between the two countries.

The Swiss citizen, Tanguy Darbellay, who was arrested during the protests in Belarus, was released on Friday.

Ignazio Cassis in interview with Le Temps and CH Media, talking about the voluntary report on the implementation of international humanitarian law by Switzerland.

In an interview with Sonntagsblick, Ignazio Cassis talks about COVID-19, the urge to be active and about why good relationships should be protected.

From 16 to 26 June 2020, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will be meeting with representatives of Switzerland's neighbouring countries. The cooperation on COVID-19 will also be important for the future.

The United States has released an Iranian prisoner in exchange for Iran's release of a US prisoner, who landed in Zurich on Thursday. Switzerland mediated the deal.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis opens the Swiss Embassy in Minsk. He will also use his stay in Belarus for bilateral talks with President Lukashenka and Foreign Minister Makej.

The Federal Council approves the 2019 foreign policy report which prioritises EU relations, global partners, peace and security, and sustainable development. It takes a positive view of implementation of the foreign policy strategy in 2019.

The Federal Council approves the 2019 foreign policy report which prioritises EU relations, global partners, peace and security, and sustainable development. It takes a positive view of implementation of the foreign policy strategy in 2019.