Press releases

Implementation of foreign policy strategy: Federal Councillor Burkhalter travels to Turkey, Lebanon and South America

19.05.2016 — Press releases EDA
On 23 and 24 May 2016, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, will attend the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul and travel on to Lebanon to visit projects supported by Switzerland to provide Syrian refugees with concrete help. On 26 and 27 May, Mr Burkhalter will travel to Argentina and Uruguay for bilateral talks and will meet the descendants of Swiss emigrants in Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter receives UNRWA Commissioner-General, Pierre Krähenbühl

14.04.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter received the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, on Thursday in Bern. They discussed developments in the Middle East and Switzerland's support for UNRWA.

Engagement in fragile states: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter calls for sustainable measures to eliminate the root causes of conflicts

05.04.2016 — Press releases EDA
At the 5th Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) in Stockholm, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter stressed that a long-term commitment by all the actors is the only way to eliminate the causes of fragility and violent conflict. The participants at the meeting agreed to continue the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, a reform agenda designed to promote both peacebuilding and the development of state structures and institutions. Switzerland is already strongly committed in fragile contexts and is going to expand its aid programmes in line with the Federal Council's Dispatch on International Cooperation 2017-2020. The aim is also to prevent young people in particular from succumbing to the temptations of violent extremism.

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs calls on all parties to the conflict in Syria to respect international humanitarian law with immediate effect

16.02.2016 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA welcomes the agreement of the International Syria Support Group reached on 12 February 2016 to seek a cessation of hostilities in Syria and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria. The FDFA asks the parties to implement the agreement immediately.

Official meeting between Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni in Bern

28.05.2015 — Press releases EDA
Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, received Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni for official talks in Bern today, and praised the excellent relations between the two countries. Among the topics discussed by Mr Burkhalter and Mr Gentiloni were Expo Milano 2015, the opening of the Gotthard base tunnel in 2016 and the significance of the New Transalpine Rail Link, progress made on fiscal and financial matters, and Switzerland's policy on the EU. The two ministers also discussed international matters, specifically migration policy and the situation in North Africa and the Middle East.

Official working visit of Angolan Foreign Minister Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti to Bern

22.05.2015 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, for an official working visit at the Von Wattenwyl House in Bern on Tuesday, 26 May 2015. Talks between the two foreign ministers centred on the bilateral political and economic relations between their two countries. They also exchanged views on cooperation at the multilateral level and discussed current world affairs.

Homes destroyed by the tsunami and war: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter visits Swiss reconstruction project in Sri Lanka

18.03.2015 — Press releases EDA
In Sri Lanka, Switzerland is supporting the reconstruction of homes and villages that were destroyed by the tsunami in 2004 and the civil war that ended in 2009. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter has visited Akkarai, a village in Jaffna in the north of the country.

Fresh impetus in bilateral relationship: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter holds political talks in Sri Lanka (last modification, the 17.03.2015)

17.03.2015 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter has held talks with representatives of the new government and of the Tamil population in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. The talks focused on the national reconciliation process and dealing with the past as well as on ways in which bilateral cooperation can be stepped up in areas such as the economy.

President Sommaruga receives Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo, on an official working visit

16.03.2015 — Press releases EDA
On Monday, 16 March, President Sommaruga received Kosovan President Atifete Jahjaga in Bern on an official working visit. The two presidents discussed current developments in Kosovo and bilateral cooperation including migration issues and police cooperation.

A hard road ahead to full gender equality (de)

09.03.2015 — Article EDA

Maya Tissafi, Deputy Director of the SDC and Head of South Cooperation Department, on International Women's Day.

Controlling immigration: Federal Council approves draft legislation and negotiating mandate

11.02.2015 — Press releases EDA
On 9 February 2014, Swiss citizens voted for Switzerland to control and restrict immigration autonomously and at the same time for an amendment to the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons with the European Union (EU), while safeguarding Switzerland’s overall economic interests. On Wednesday, the Federal Council took various decisions on the implementation of the new constitutional provisions. It approved the draft of the new legislation on foreign nationals and additional measures to make better use of the potential workforce within Switzerland. It also made a final decision on the negotiating mandate with the EU on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons.

Expat Swiss community continues to grow

29.01.2015 — Press releases EDA
More and more Swiss nationals are choosing to live abroad. In 2014, the number increased by 14,726 on the previous year to a total of 746,885 people, an increase of around 2%. These are the most recent statistics from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the expatriate Swiss community. The figures – published annually – include all Swiss nationals registered at an embassy or consulate general. There are Swiss expats living in 200 different countries and regions around the world.

Federal Council postpones final decision on Global Compact for Migration until conclusion of parliamentary debates

21.11.2018 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council believes that the United Nations Global Compact for Migration is consistent with Switzerland's interests, as it aims to reduce irregular migration by setting benchmarks for orderly migration practices. However, the Federal Council wishes to postpone its final decision pending conclusion of the parliamentary debates. As a result, Switzerland will not attend the intergovernmental conference for the formal adoption of the global compact to be held in Marrakech on 10 and 11 December 2018.

Switzerland supports cooperation projects in Eritrea

12.10.2017 — Press releases EDA
Having withdrawn from the country over ten years ago, the SDC has now resumed support for cooperation projects in Eritrea. In October 2017, it began supporting two vocational projects in a pilot phase scheduled to run until the end of 2019.

Didier Burkhalter meets Sudanese foreign minister in Bern

16.05.2017 — Press releases EDA
On 16 May 2017 Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter received Ibrahim Ghandour, the Sudanese foreign minister, in Bern. It is the first time since 2005 that a meeting at ministerial level has taken place between the two countries. The meeting covered recent developments in Sudan, the country's role in the region and opportunities for dialogue and cooperation to enable progress in the areas of political reform, human rights promotion and compliance, the management of migration and the protection of migrants.

Federal Council approves 2016 Foreign Policy Report

11.01.2017 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council approved the 2016 Foreign Policy Report at its meeting on 11 January 2017. The report gives an overview of Swiss foreign policy and provides an account of Switzerland’s most important foreign policy activities in 2016, in particular in the areas of development cooperation, humanitarian aid and good offices. This year’s report contains a chapter focusing on Switzerland’s efforts to promote peace and development in the crisis regions stretching from Syria to the Sahel.

The importance of relations between Switzerland and Turkey discussed in Bern

03.11.2016 — Press releases EDA
"Relations with Turkey are extremely important to Switzerland, even more so today than in the past. Dialogue and listening to each other are essential if we are to rise to the challenges of our time". This is what Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter said on 3 November 2016 at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, at the Lohn Manor near Bern. The talks focused on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, but the two foreign ministers also discussed their countries’ bilateral relations as well as multilateral cooperation. In addition, Mr Burkhalter mentioned Switzerland's actions and potential in the context of Swiss policy of good offices.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter receives Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström

11.10.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Didier Burkhalter received the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström for a working visit today. The talks, held at Hôtel DuPeyrou in Neuchâtel, covered bilateral relations and EU policy. Cooperation between Switzerland and Sweden in international forums and topical international issues were also on the agenda for discussion.

UN issues declaration on refugees and migration

19.09.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga represented Switzerland on Monday at the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York. The states want to meet the challenges posed by large movements of refugees and migrants more effectively and issued a political declaration on this issue. Federal Councillor Sommaruga stressed that Switzerland wants to play an active role in implementing the goals agreed at the summit in New York.

Switzerland’s priorities at the UN’s 71st General Assembly

07.09.2016 — Press releases EDA
Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, President of the Swiss Confederation, will set out Switzerland’s priorities in relation to the UN for the coming year on 20 September at the opening of the UN’s 71st General Assembly. He will also take part in various events and meet with heads of state and government. During this ministerial week in New York, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will also represent Switzerland at various events, focusing in particular on international security, and will conduct bilateral talks. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga will also take part in the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants to be held on the eve of the opening of the General Assembly.

Switzerland steps up its humanitarian commitment to the people fleeing the fighting in Iraq

20.07.2016 — Press releases EDA
A conference of donor countries was held today in Washington to mobilise funds to ensure better humanitarian support for the tens of thousands of internally displaced persons fleeing the fighting that has been ravaging Iraq since May. Switzerland has decided to allocate an additional CHF 1 million, increasing its commitment to CHF 10 million for 2016.

Implementation of foreign policy strategy: Federal Councillor Burkhalter travels to Turkey, Lebanon and South America

19.05.2016 — Press releases EDA
On 23 and 24 May 2016, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, will attend the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul and travel on to Lebanon to visit projects supported by Switzerland to provide Syrian refugees with concrete help. On 26 and 27 May, Mr Burkhalter will travel to Argentina and Uruguay for bilateral talks and will meet the descendants of Swiss emigrants in Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter receives UNRWA Commissioner-General, Pierre Krähenbühl

14.04.2016 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter received the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, on Thursday in Bern. They discussed developments in the Middle East and Switzerland's support for UNRWA.

Engagement in fragile states: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter calls for sustainable measures to eliminate the root causes of conflicts

05.04.2016 — Press releases EDA
At the 5th Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) in Stockholm, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter stressed that a long-term commitment by all the actors is the only way to eliminate the causes of fragility and violent conflict. The participants at the meeting agreed to continue the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, a reform agenda designed to promote both peacebuilding and the development of state structures and institutions. Switzerland is already strongly committed in fragile contexts and is going to expand its aid programmes in line with the Federal Council's Dispatch on International Cooperation 2017-2020. The aim is also to prevent young people in particular from succumbing to the temptations of violent extremism.

UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants: the international community's responsibility – Switzerland's commitment

16.09.2016 — Article DEZA

The first United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants is taking place on 19 September 2016 in New York and will see the international community adopt joint measures in response to the large movements of refugees and migrants. Switzerland will be focusing in particular on improving protection on the ground, preventing forced displacement and finding sustainable solutions for directly affected populations.

Switzerland aims to protect refugees and give them the chance of a brighter future

16.09.2016 — Article DEZA

Switzerland is taking part in the United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants on 19 September. Eduard Gnesa, Special Ambassador for International Cooperation on Migration Issues, talks about the challenges facing the international community as a result of the refugee situation. 

Switzerland supports UNDP in crisis prevention and recovery

23.05.2016 — Article DEZA

The United Nations Development Programme helps countries to prevent armed conflicts and violence, and to build better and stronger societies in the aftermath of crises. Switzerland will provide additional support to its crisis prevention and recovery programs. On 23 May 2016, Federal Councilor Didier Burkhalter and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark have signed a partnership agreement of CHF 13.8 million at the margins of the World Humanitarian Summit.

A hard road ahead to full gender equality (de)

09.03.2015 — Article EDA

Maya Tissafi, Deputy Director of the SDC and Head of South Cooperation Department, on International Women's Day.

"Zusammen die Zukunft bauen" (de)

22.10.2014 — Article EDA

Bern, 22.10.2014 - Greeting by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Didier Burkhalter, at the ceremony of attaining the legal age of majority jointly organized by the city of Bern, the FDFA, and the OSA - Check against delivery