OrganizationPublished on 1 February 2026
State Secretariat
The State Secretariat is responsible for implementing the Federal Council's Foreign Policy Strategy and the geographical and thematic follow-up strategies. In this regard, it coordinates European policy as well as foreign policy activities within the FDFA and between the departments. It safeguards Switzerland's foreign policy interests and ensures the further development of bilateral and multilateral relations with partner countries, European institutions and international organisations such as the UN and the OSCE. The representations abroad, the geographical and thematic divisions, the Protocol and the Policy Planning divisions all come under the State Secretariat. The State Secretary of the FDFA is Alexandre Fasel.
The Europe Division is the federal government's centre of expertise for all European policy issues. It coordinates the government's European policy in cooperation with the relevant specialised units, and provides information on both Swiss European policy and European integration. The Europe Division defines the foreign policy guidelines in relations with the European Union, all EU member states, the EEA/EFTA states and the United Kingdom. With regard to Switzerland's policies towards its neighbouring countries, the division takes account of cross-border relations and supports the cantons in cross-border cooperation.
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Contact
Europe Division
Federal Palace East Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 22 22
sts.europa@eda.admin.chThe Eurasia Division coordinates Switzerland's bilateral relations with the countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia and represents Switzerland's multilateral interests in the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). It determines the foreign policy guidelines for relations with these countries and implements them in close cooperation with the relevant Swiss embassies. Together with all the federal departments and the Permanent Representation of Switzerland to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the division helps to develop the Council's policy in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It also ensures the coherence of Swiss positions within the OSCE.
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Contact
Eurasia Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 36 12
sts.eurasien@eda.admin.chThe Swiss chairpersonship of the OSCE in 2026 is part of Switzerland's ongoing commitment to making an active contribution to peace, security and stability in Europe and beyond. The Swiss chairpersonship is in line with the Foreign Policy Strategy 2024–27. The main tasks of the chairpersonship include the political leadership of the organisation, the promotion of cooperative security and efforts to resolve and manage conflicts. A significant number of responsibilities fall directly to the incumbent chairman-in-office of the OSCE, a role that is held in 2026 by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA. A Task Force has been set up to take charge of tasks related to the 2026 chairmanship.
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Contact
Task Force OSCE Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
sts.osze-taskforce@eda.admin.chThe Americas Division coordinates Switzerland's foreign policy vis-à-vis the 35 countries of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America. Its main tasks include maintaining bilateral relations, preparing bilateral meetings and visits at the highest level, organising political consultations and managing the Swiss representations in the region. The division also handles protecting power mandates in which Switzerland assumes the diplomatic and consular functions of another country.
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Contact
Americas Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 57 36
sts.amerikas@eda.admin.chThe Middle East and North Africa Division (MENA) coordinates Switzerland's bilateral relations within the 18-country region extending south of the Mediterranean from Morocco to Egypt and eastwards from Yemen via the Arabian Peninsula to Iran. In addition to developing political positions, preparing bilateral meetings, and conducting political consultations, the division maintains regular dialogue with the representations of the MENA states.
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Contact
MENA Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 30 60
sts.mena@eda.admin.chThe Asia and Pacific Division coordinates Swiss foreign policy towards 39 countries in the region, which are becoming increasingly important for Switzerland in economic, political and scientific terms. The division develops the strategic guidelines and political positions vis-à-vis these countries. It implements the Asia G20 Strategy and the South East Asia Strategy. Switzerland's priorities in this part of the world are the preservation of peace and security, sustainable development, humanitarian aid and prosperity. Lastly, the division prepares bilateral meetings at the highest level and organises political consultations with countries in the region.
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Contact
Asia and Pacific Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 36 94
sts.aap@eda.admin.chThe Africa Division coordinates relations with the 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and regional organisations such as the African Union, as well as with the Francophonie. It implements the Africa Strategy 2025–28, with a focus on promoting economic cooperation, development, peace and security, environmental concerns, democracy, and human rights. The division works closely with regional organisations such as the EAC, ECOWAS, IGAD and the SADC, and organises political consultations and official visits by the Federal Council. It is also responsible for Switzerland's position in the International Organisation of La Francophonie.
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Contact
Africa Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 35 13
sts.afrika@eda.admin.chThe UN Division safeguards Switzerland's foreign policy interests and promotes its values in the United Nations and international organisations. It ensures that Switzerland's interests in the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, ECOSOC, the Human Rights Council and UNESCO are implemented in a coherent manner. The division also promotes Switzerland's role as a host state and the importance of Geneva as a centre of global governance. It promotes the Swiss presence in international organisations, in particular by supporting Swiss candidatures for high-ranking positions and the recruitment of Swiss staff.
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Contact
UN Division
Bundesgasse 28
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 464 69 22
sts.uno@eda.admin.chThe Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) works on the diplomatic and political dimensions of promoting peace, human rights, democracy and the implementation of international humanitarian law. As the centre of expertise for mediation, it supports peace processes in around 20 country programmes by working with key actors on sustainable conflict transformation and conflict resolution. Using its human rights and humanitarian diplomacy, the PHRD strengthens the international regulatory framework in multilateral forums, through bilateral dialogues and diplomatic initiatives. It supports the strengthening of democratic resilience in partner countries through its diplomacy for democracy. Through the Swiss Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding (SEP), the PHRD also sends experts to peace and election observation missions.
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Contact
Peace and Human Rights Division
Bundesgasse 32
3011 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 30 50
sts.afm@eda.admin.chThe International Security Division (ISD) helps safeguard Switzerland's diplomatic interests in international security matters. The division leads security-policy dialogues and strengthens the international regulatory framework in the areas of arms control, disarmament and cybersecurity. It monitors developments among the relevant European security actors (NATO, the EU and the OSCE) and, together with the DDPS, represents Swiss interests within the framework of the Partnership for Peace with NATO. In addition, it implements the Federal Act on Private Security Services Provided Abroad and coordinates the FDFA's positions on foreign trade involving war materiel and industrial products regulated by the Goods Control Act.
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- Security policy
- Federal Act on Private Security Services provided Abroad
- Arms Control and Disarmament Strategy
Contact
International Security Division
Effingerstrasse 27
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 463 93 58
sts.ais@eda.admin.chThe FDFA's Prosperity and Sustainability Division supports the Federal Council in integrating sectoral areas such as finance, the economy, the environment, health, energy, science and technology into foreign policy. The division ensures coherence between the various specialised units and Switzerland's international activities. Its tasks include coordinating the fight against corruption, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as science & tech diplomacy. It also contributes to international financial policy and the promotion of economic relations and exports. Lastly, the division implements Switzerland's Maritime Strategy and represents Switzerland in international bodies on topics such as money laundering and terrorist financing, corruption, the climate, biodiversity, outer space and the Arctic. Its tasks include strengthening Geneva as a hub for digital governance and cyber-resilience. It is also developing concrete measures in the field of artificial intelligence to enable universal access to AI resources.
Contact
FDFA/PSD
Bundesgasse 28
3003 Bern, Switzerland
sts.awn@eda.admin.chThe Policy Planning Division advises and supports the FDFA's senior management in the strategic development of Swiss foreign policy. The division carries out fundamental policy-making work. It develops the Foreign Policy Strategy (FPS) and advises on the associated follow-up strategies and implementation documents. The aim is to promote a coherent, strategic orientation and to create a strategic culture within the FDFA. Policy Planning analyses international trends and geopolitical developments, drafts impulse papers and holds events. In keeping with the ‘whole-of-Switzerland’ approach, it promotes cooperation with external partners such as think tanks and scientific institutions.
Links
- Switzerland's 2028 Foreign Policy Vision (AVIS28)
- Foreign Policy Strategy (FPS)
- Cascading foreign policy strategy
- Foreign policy reports (de, fr, it)
Contact
Policy Planning Division
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 481 85 65
sts.policy.planning@eda.admin.chThe FDFA Protocol attends to protocol-related and ceremonial matters for the Federal Council. It organises official foreign visits to Switzerland at the highest political level as well as diplomatic events and is responsible for protocol letters exchanges. The Protocol ensures the respect of the privileges and immunities of foreign diplomatic and consular missions derived from the two Vienna conventions on diplomatic and consular relations. It also deals with security issues relating to foreign missions in Switzerland and offers advice on protocol-related and legal matters.
Diplomatic and consular privileges and immunities in Switzerland
Information on privileges, immunities and facilities for foreign embassies and consulates in Switzerland:
Contact
Protocol Secretariat
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
sts.protokoll@eda.admin.ch
Contact
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Federal Palace West
3003 Bern