Foreign policy

In 2023 and 2024, Switzerland has a seat on the UN Security Council, where it is contributing its expertise in global peace and security to discussions and debates. Scroll the newsticker for background information about Switzerland's Security Council activities and statements.

From the Ukraine Recovery Conference in July 2022 in Lugano to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in June 2024 on the Bürgenstock: Switzerland is committed to a peaceful solution to the war and is fully behind the political process of Ukraine's recovery. It is also implementing a variety of measures to help support people affected by the war. More on Switzerland's work in Ukraine in the newsfeed.

On 15 and 16 June 2024, Switzerland organised a Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock. The aim of the summit was to develop a common understanding of a possible path to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. All news on the summit can be found here in the ticker.

From 14 to 25 October 2024, a group of specialists from the Ecole des Sciences Criminelles of the University of Lausanne will travel to Serbia and Kosovo to examine the use of new technologies in the search for missing persons from the period immediately before, during and after the Kosovo conflict. The specialists' visit is part of a mandate from the FDFA's Peace and Human Rights Division and is Switzerland's contribution to the implementation of the Declaration on Missing Persons, which was adopted by Serbia and Kosovo on 2 May 2023.

The fourth summit of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) foundation will take place in Geneva from 9 to 11 October 2024. Under the motto 'The Great Acceleration', the impacts and possibilities of rapid scientific progress on diplomacy, the environment, the economy and society will be discussed. Using the example of the Transnational Red Sea Center, the role of science diplomacy in the implementation of global environmental goals will be explored in depth.

In October 2024, Switzerland will hold for the second time the presidency of the UN Security Council. As during its first presidency, it will place two of its priorities – "promoting lasting peace" and "protecting civilian populations" – at the heart of the Council's work. What does the presidency mean for Switzerland? We provide an overview of Switzerland's powers, practices and priorities during its month-long presidency of the Security Council.