Bilateral relations

One year after the Taliban's abrupt return to power, living conditions for many people – particularly women and girls – have deteriorated under the new regime. Although the Swiss cooperation office in Kabul was forced to close its doors due to security reasons, the SDC is still active in Afghanistan and can rely on its existing networks there, says Walburga Roos.

Switzerland has a long-standing commitment to stability in the Western Balkans and, through its international cooperation work, supports a wide range of projects covering vocational education and training, the promotion of dialogue, dealing with the past and waste management. FDFA State Secretary Livia Leu is travelling to Kosovo and Serbia at the end of June 2022 at a time when the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Western Balkans is still unclear.

Switzerland and Ukraine intend to use the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano on 4 and 5 July as a springboard for a broad-based political and diplomatic process that sets out a path to reconstruction for Ukraine. Around 40 states and 20 international organisations have been invited to the conference.

There are clear indications of war crimes in Bucha and other places in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court is investigating the reports. Switzerland supports its investigation. This Q&A focuses on the role of the International Criminal Court and on how such investigations are carried out.

Religious actors and organisations often have a key role to play in peace and dialogue processes. Their non-partisanship often grants them both access to and legitimacy with conflicting parties. Ambassador Simon Geissbühler, head of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) at the FDFA's State Secretariat, has met with representatives of the Vatican and the Protestant and Jewish communities for talks in Rome. For the FDFA, ecumenical dialogue is a welcome platform for peace.

In line with the Framework Agreement signed in September 2020 and in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Switzerland and Uzbekistan are negotiating a restitution agreement for the return of assets definitively forfeited in criminal proceedings in connection with Ms. Gulnara Karimova. These assets will be returned for the benefit of the population of Uzbekistan through a new United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund (the Fund) once the details of the mechanism have been agreed upon and a legally binding restitution agreement has been signed.