Natural disasters and climate-related risks: Switzerland appeals for closer links between disaster risk reduction, climate change and development cooperation

26.05.2017 — Press releases EDA
Natural disasters and climate-related risks threaten to reverse hard-won gains in development. These and other challenges were the focal point of the fifth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which took place from 22 to 26 May 2017 in Cancún, Mexico. At the conference, Switzerland appealed for closer cooperation in the fields of disaster risk reduction, climate change and development cooperation.

Resilience is key

18.05.2017 — Article DEZA

From 22 to 26 May 2017, Switzerland will participate in a global conference on disaster risk reduction organised by the UN in Cancun, Mexico. The goal is to deliver on the commitments made under the Sendai Framework in 2015 in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A project co-financed by the SDC in Nicaragua has proven that prevention in this respect can be hugely beneficial to small farmers.

Coordinating assistance for people in need: Swiss and foreign search and rescue teams train in Switzerland

09.05.2017 — Press releases EDA
Expertise, rapid response and good coordination save lives. Five teams from four countries are taking part in a training exercise designed to test their operational capabilities in a simulated emergency following a virtual earthquake. Swiss Humanitarian Aid, part of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Swiss Armed Forces are hosting the three-day ACHILLES exercise, which is taking place between 8 and 10 May, mainly in the Swiss Armed Forces training village at Epeisses in the canton of Geneva. Alongside Swiss Rescue, teams from Germany, France and the UK are also taking part.

Mental health: a neglected aspect of development

06.04.2017 — Article DEZA

Access to physical and mental healthcare is a basic human right – one which for many people remains a luxury. The third Sustainable Development Goal stresses the right to health in general terms, highlighting the importance of access to healthcare for all and of promotion and prevention for mental health. 

UN session on women’s economic empowerment: Switzerland campaigns for equal pay

13.03.2017 — Press releases EDA
The 61st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will kick off on 13 March 2017 in New York. Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work is the focus of this year’s session. Equal pay will be one of the focal points of Switzerland's efforts during the session. Representing the country is a delegation led by FDFA Secretary General Benno Bättig and Director of the Federal Office for Gender Equality Sylvie Durrer. Together with other partners, Switzerland is launching the Global Equal Pay Coalition, which seeks to eliminate wage inequality by 2030.

Munich Security Conference: Didier Burkhalter rates OSCE as a major actor for rebuilding trust in Europe

18.02.2017 — EDA
At the Munich Security Conference last Saturday, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter expressed the view that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) now more than ever had a key role to play in strengthening security in Europe. The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) called on members of the OSCE to advance common action to reduce uncertainty and rebuild trust through a structured dialogue within the framework of the OSCE.

Bundesrat Parmelin und Bundesrat Burkhalter an der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz

16.02.2017 — Press releases EDA
Bundesrat Guy Parmelin, Chef des Eidgenössischen Departements für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport, und Bundesrat Didier Burkhalter, Vorsteher des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten, nehmen an der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz teil, die vom 17. bis am 19. Februar 2017 dauert. Die jährlich stattfindende Sicherheitskonferenz ist weltweit eines der wichtigsten Foren für Sicherheitspolitik.

UN World Data Forum: Switzerland supports launch of action plan on role of statistics in sustainable development

19.01.2017 — Press releases EDA
The first UN World Data Forum was held in Cape Town, South Africa on 15-18 January. It concluded with the presentation of a global action plan in which Switzerland has been actively involved. Switzerland was represented by a mixed delegation from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Chinese President XI Jinping ends state visit to Switzerland

18.01.2017 — Press releases EDA
The Chinese president, XI Jinping, ended his state visit to Switzerland on Wednesday and was seen off by Federal Councillor Alain Berset, the vice president of the Federal Council, in Geneva. Earlier Federal Councillor Berset and President XI Jinping met for informal talks with the new UN secretary general, António Guterres.

Sustainable Development Goals

16.01.2017 — Article Agenda 2030

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 targets are the cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda, which gives equal priority to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The new goals combine eliminating poverty with sustainable development for the first time in a shared agenda.

The environment at the heart of cooperation between the SDC and China

13.01.2017 — Article DEZA

The SDC is present in China. It is currently undertaking six programmes targeting climate change and pollution. A Sino-Swiss programme aims to promote the efforts of Chinese cities to adopt a climate-friendly approach.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter meets with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Geneva

12.01.2017 — Press releases EDA
Today, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and UN Secretary-General António Guterres held a bilateral meeting on the margins of the UN Cyprus talks in Geneva. During their discussions, they exchanged views on a range of topical issues and reiterated the positive working relationship between Switzerland and the UN.

Federal Council opens consultation process on 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy

04.11.2020 — Press releases EDA
With its 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy, the Federal Council is setting out how it intends to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development over the next ten years. At its meeting on 4 November, the Federal Council approved the strategy for consultation.

UN World Data Forum in Bern cannot take place in October 2020

01.07.2020 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council was informed at its sitting of 1 July 2020 that the organisation committee and the United Nations have decided that the United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF) cannot take place in October 2020 and should be held at a later date. The UNWDF is an event of global importance in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This, the third meeting of the UNWDF, will be organised in Bern by the Swiss Confederation in cooperation with the United Nations.

World record-breaking giant postcard: SDC gives youth a voice in fight against climate change

16.11.2018 — Press releases EDA
Over 100,000 postcards with promises and messages about climate change from children and young people around the world will be used to stage a new Guinness world record on the Jungfraujoch: the biggest postcard of all time, raising awareness about climate change.

Bundesrätin Doris Leuthard zieht eine positive Bilanz über die Fortschritte der Schweiz bei der Umsetzung der Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung

17.07.2018 — Press releases EDA
Bundesrätin Doris Leuthard nahm am 16. und 17. Juli am Hochrangigen Politischen Forum für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development HLPF) an der UNO in New York teil. Vor der versammelten Staatengemeinschaft und zahlreichen nichtstaatlichen Akteuren präsentierte sie am 17. Juli den ersten Schweizer Bericht über die Umsetzung der Agenda 2030 und deren 17 Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung (Sustainable Development Goals SDGs).

2030 Agenda in Switzerland: an initial assessment using 85 sustainable development indicators

10.07.2018 — Press releases EDA
(FSO) – The monitoring of 2030 Agenda in Switzerland expresses contrasting and somewhat contradictory trends with regard to the goals pursued. Thirty nine indicators show a development in line with expectations, fourteen show a reverse trend while twelve do not show any marked change. These are the findings of the monitoring system published for the first time by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

How can investments help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

20.06.2018 — Press releases Agenda 2030
Private investment is important for the financing of the 2030 Agenda and the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What specific contribution it can make to their implementation however, depends entirely on the type of investment and reform of the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements. Reforms are under way but the outcome is still open, as was highlighted by the prominent panellists attending the SDC’s ‘Traverse’ event on 27 March in Bern.

World Health Day dedicated to “Health for all”

06.04.2018 — Press releases EDA
World Health Day 2018, which will take place on 7 April, will be dedicated to the theme of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Almost half of the world’s population has no access to essential health services and each year almost hundred million people face extreme poverty because of the money they have to spend on health services.

Trust in data in the era of fake news - The important role of official statistics in a world of fact, fiction and everything in between

04.04.2018 — Press releases EDA
(FSO) – Facts provide the foundation for political and social dialogue. But what happens when instead of facts, purposely spread untruths begin to dominate that dialogue? And what can be done about it, or better still, what can be done to stop it? Possible answers can be found at the conference entitled “Truth in numbers – the role of data in a world of fact, fiction and everything in between” that highlights the importance of official statistics for democracy. The conference is organised by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the international Partnership in Statistics for Development PARIS21.

Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Bund unterstützt Initiativen der Kantone und Gemeinden (de)

15.02.2018 — Press releases Agenda 2030
Ittigen, 15.02.2018 - Das Bundesamt für Raumentwicklung (ARE) und die Eidgenössische Migrationskommission (EKM) unterstützen im Rahmen des Förderprogramms Nachhaltige Entwicklung 18 Projekte von Kantonen und Gemeinden, um die Ziele der Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung zu erreichen.

Fine della COP23: un segnale chiaro per il clima da parte della comunità internazionale

18.11.2017 — Press releases EDA
Si è conclusa a Bonn il 18 novembre 2017 la 23a Conferenza delle Nazioni Unite sul clima (COP23). Nell'ambito della Conferenza presieduta dalle Isole Figi, gli Stati hanno espresso il loro impegno a favore del clima e dell'Accordo di Parigi. Inoltre hanno trovato un accordo sui documenti di base che riassumono le diverse posizioni su tutti i punti da negoziare per elaborare le regole di attuazione dell'accordo. Dette regole dovrebbero essere adottate nel 2018 nel corso della prossima Conferenza per il clima.

Switzerland an active participant at the 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

19.07.2017 — Press releases EDA
On Wednesday, 19 July 2017, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at UN headquarters in New York comes to an end. The forum is an annual event held for the purpose of reviewing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015. One year ago, 22 countries, including Switzerland, reported to the forum on their initial measures for implementation of the 2030 Agenda; this year, national implementation reports were presented by double that number of countries. In addition, thematic evaluations focusing on specific SDGs were conducted, with Switzerland playing an active role in the deliberations.

Switzerland welcomes approval of UN resolution regarding the Statistical Commission’s work on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

06.07.2017 — Press releases EDA
On 6 July 2017 the UN General Assembly approved the statistical resolution entitled “Work of the UN Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Switzerland made a decisive contribution to the approval of this resolution and was actively involved in its elaboration.

Roadmap for a better world –"die Umwelt" magazine 1/2020

17.04.2020 — Article Agenda 2030

"die Umwelt" magazine is produced by  the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN. It is published four times a year on a key topic, and is free of charge. The current issue reports on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how authorities, businesses, science and civil society are working towards them at national and international level.

MONET 2030: New visualisation

24.03.2020 — Article Agenda 2030
The new visualisation of the MONET 2030 indicator system makes it possible to gain an insight into Switzerland’s progression towards the sustainable development goals. The mosaic is not uniform, however, and while almost half of the tiles show progress, other areas show setbacks. This representation is dynamic, interactive and flexible according to individual needs. It is published online by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

UNWDF 2021: Road to Bern

16.01.2020 — Article Agenda 2030
Achievement of the sustainable development goals set out in the 2030 Agenda can only be measured with the help of official statistics. These will be the key focus of the third United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF) to be held in Bern from 03 to 06 October 2021. Under the label of the ʹRoad to Bernʹ, a series of events is planned in the run-up to this high-profile international conference.

High-Level Political Forum 2019

26.09.2019 — Article Agenda 2030
The annual High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to review the 2030 Agenda took place between 9 and 18 July. The Swiss delegation to this major event was led by Ambassador Jürg Lauber and comprised staff from four federal departments (FDFA, DETEC, EAER, FDHA) as well as three representatives from the scientific community, the private sector and the cantonal government.

"The international community must scale up the impact of its engagement"

09.07.2019 — Article DEZA
In mid-July 2019, SDC Assistant Director General Thomas Gass will assume the co-chairmanship of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) for a two-year term. In this interview he explains how he intends to lead this broad-based platform to ensure that the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are achieved as quickly as possible.

UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 1-2 March 2018

01.03.2018 — Local news Agenda 2030
Sustainable Development is a core principle in Switzerland and the Swiss Federal Council follows the Agenda 2030 closely. Ambassador Michael Gerber, Switzerland’s Special Envoy for Global Sustainable Development, will be the chair of this year’s United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Regional Forum.

“Switzerland is one of the most progressive countries”

16.11.2017 — Article DEZA

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the international community in 2015 and has been in effect since 2016. What progress has been made so far? What are the next steps? Interview with Ambassador Michael Gerber, Special Envoy for Sustainable Global Development.

Online Consultation on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

12.07.2017 — Article Agenda 2030

From 26 June until 25 August 2017, non-state actors from business, civil society and academia, as well as cantons and communes, can take part in an online consultation. By participating, they can supplement the federal government's assessment of the implementation status of the 2030 Agenda and demonstrate their own contribution to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The results of the consultation will be used for guidance when drafting the 2018 Swiss country report for the UN.

Switzerland at the 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

05.07.2017 — Article Agenda 2030

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will be held at the UN in New York from 10 to 19 July 2017. Last year, 22 countries presented their initial measures to implement the 2030 Agenda; this year, twice that number are presenting voluntary national reports on their implementation of the Agenda. Thematic evaluations of specific SDGs will be carried out at the same time. The Swiss delegation will take an active part in the discussions.

Resilience is key

18.05.2017 — Article DEZA

From 22 to 26 May 2017, Switzerland will participate in a global conference on disaster risk reduction organised by the UN in Cancun, Mexico. The goal is to deliver on the commitments made under the Sendai Framework in 2015 in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A project co-financed by the SDC in Nicaragua has proven that prevention in this respect can be hugely beneficial to small farmers.

Mental health: a neglected aspect of development

06.04.2017 — Article DEZA

Access to physical and mental healthcare is a basic human right – one which for many people remains a luxury. The third Sustainable Development Goal stresses the right to health in general terms, highlighting the importance of access to healthcare for all and of promotion and prevention for mental health. 

Munich Security Conference: Didier Burkhalter rates OSCE as a major actor for rebuilding trust in Europe

18.02.2017 — EDA
At the Munich Security Conference last Saturday, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter expressed the view that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) now more than ever had a key role to play in strengthening security in Europe. The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) called on members of the OSCE to advance common action to reduce uncertainty and rebuild trust through a structured dialogue within the framework of the OSCE.