In war, the law cannot remain silent

08.12.2015 — Local news Mission Geneva

Swiss President of the Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga opens the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Water management as a channel of trust and cooperation for peace

16.11.2015 — Press release Mission Geneva

Geneva, 16.11.2015: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter launches the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace

International Geneva guest of honor of Cité des métiers

03.11.2015 — Local news Mission Geneva

Geneva, 03.11.2015 - Jobs  related to peace, rights and well-being presented to students at the most important Swiss career fair on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations

Geneva celebrates 70 years of UN

24.10.2015 — Local news Mission Geneva

Great popular success for the Open Doors at the "Palais des Nations"

On the way up to the World Humanitarian Summit

15.10.2015 — Position Mission Geneva

Geneva, 15.10.2015 – Strengthening action to respond to ever increasing growing needs. Switzerland contributes to more effective humanitarian aid.

Nansen Initiative: Protection Agenda

12.10.2015 — Position Mission Geneva

Geneva, 12.10.2015 – Switzerland calls for preventive measures for people displaced by natural disasters or climate change

President of the Swiss Confederation meets journalists of the Foreign Press Association in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

12.10.2015 — Local news Mission Geneva

Geneva - 12.10.2015 Simonetta Sommaruga invited by APES to answer questions on current issues

Switzerland supports GCERF

09.09.2015 — Press release Mission Geneva

Geneva, 09.09.2015 - FDFA contributes CHF 4 million to the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)

15th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325

09.09.2015 — Press release Mission Geneva

Geneva – 09.09.2015: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter appeals for better inclusion of women in peace and transition processes and for a stronger implementation of UN-Resolution 1325

Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty chose Geneva to host the Treaty Secretariat

27.08.2015 — Press release Mission Geneva

Cancún/Mexico 27.8.2015 - The body will be responsible for regulating the trade in arms and preventing illegal sales.

Press release 

Geneva hosts the Final Preparatory Meeting towards the 1st Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

06.07.2015 — Local news Mission Geneva

Geneva, 6-8 July 2015 – ATT States Parties and Signatories meet in Geneva, upon the invitation of Switzerland, to prepare for the ATT 1st Conference of States Parties, to be held in Cancun on 24 au 27 August 2015

Flyer

Switzerland welcomes the works of the 104th Session of the International Labor Conference

13.06.2015 — Article Mission Geneva

Geneva, 1-13.06.2015 – The 185 ILO member states discussed the transition of the informal economy, and celebrated the world day against child labor. Thematic paper

Ignazio Cassis opens Human Rights Council

27.02.2023 — Press release Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, opened the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 27 February 2023. FC Cassis also moderated the High-Level Pledging Conference on Yemen, held back to back with the Council. Switzerland engages in favor of dialogue, peace, and lasting reconstruction, including with a support for education in emergencies.

Ukraine Recovery Conference 2022

21.06.2022 — Press release Mission Geneva

Davos 2022: Geneva Day

23.05.2022 — Press release Mission Geneva
At the World Economic Forum 2022 in Davos, the Geneva Day focused on the future of work, digital trust, and new technologies.

Federal Councillor Berset opens World Meteorological Congress

12.10.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor Alain Berset officially opened an extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress in Geneva. The Congress will focus on WMO reform, WMO support for the global water agenda and the Earth System Data Exchange.

Humanitarian aid for Afghanistan: Switzerland pledges 33 million francs

13.09.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis welcomed participants during the opening of the Ministerial Conference called by the UN Secretary-General on humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, held on Monday, 13 September 2021 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Press release

More coordinated emergency humanitarian action

25.06.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
Finding new ways to respond to challenges exacerbated by COVID-19. This was one of the key issues discussed at the humanitarian affairs segment (HAS) of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was held in Geneva from 23 to 25 June 2021 and was chaired by Switzerland. A resolution to strengthen coordination of humanitarian aid was adopted, sending an important political signal.

Switzerland pledges CHF 14 million for humanitarian aid in Yemen

01.03.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
FDFA head and Vice President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis pledged a CHF 14 million humanitarian aid package at an online conference to raise funds for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Switzerland hosts an informal WTO ministerial meeting

29.01.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
At the invitation of Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, a virtual informal ministerial meeting was held on 29 January on WTO-related issues. Among those taking part were ministers responsible for WTO affairs and WTO Deputy Director General Alan Wolff. The event was held in place of the traditional informal WTO ministerial meeting chaired by Switzerland on the fringes of the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos. Participants discussed trade policy challenges and priorities ahead of the twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference, particularly in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

73rd World Health Assembly

18.05.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
This year’s World Health Assembly is taking place under special circumstances; due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is a virtual event with a reduced agenda. President Simonetta Sommaruga represented Switzerland at the World Health Organization conference on Monday, 18 May. Ms Sommaruga commended the work of the Geneva-based organisation and gave an assurance of Switzerland’s support.

Geneva Airport dedicates its protocol salon to Kofi Annan

08.04.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
Today, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, would have been 82 years old. On this occasion, Geneva Airport announces that its protocol lounge will be renamed "Espace Kofi Annan." This gesture honours a man who unceasingly fought for international cooperation to tackle global challenges, something which has never been more relevant than today, given the global crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Switzerland at the vanguard of human rights

25.02.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
2019 marked 100 years of multilateralism in Geneva, one of the key themes of which is the protection of human rights. 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, whose Charter places fundamental rights and human dignity at the heart of efforts to ensure peace and sustainable development. "Reaffirming, promoting and defending these common values is a task for all of us," said Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at the opening of the spring session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 24 February 2020.

Geneva meets Davos for global good

22.01.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
Big crowds at the “Geneva Day” hosted by the House of Switzerland in Davos on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Conceived as a meeting point between global governance institutions and WEF participants, the “Geneva Day” explored new paths for international cooperation to advance sustainable and inclusive development.

Saving energy

10.10.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva

Switzerland's energy supply is secure. The Swiss federal government has however published recommendations for saving energy against the backdrop of energy shortages in Europe.

Current situation

Strengthening security and supply 

Contribuer aux économies d'énergie (FR, DE, IT)

Espace Kofi-Annan inaugurated at Geneva Airport

04.10.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
A new delegates lounge named after the former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was inaugurated on 3 October 2022 by local and national authorities, the UNOG Director-General and Ms. Annan.

OECD Ambassadors visit Geneva

13.09.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
Ambassadors of Member States of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as well as OECD's Secretary-General and Secretariat, visited the Palais des Nations as well as international organizations headquartered in Geneva including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the International Labor Office (ILO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the Geneva Science-Policy Anticipator (GESDA). The purpose of this visit was to reinforce collaboration and cooperation between international organizations as well as between Host and Member States.

Federal Councillor Berset opens the 75th World Health Assembly

22.05.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
On Sunday, 22 May, Federal Councillor Alain Berset opened the 75th World Assembly and advocated for a strong WHO with the necessary means and authoritativeness to support Member States, including during pandemics.

Federal Councillor Sommaruga celebrates press freedom

05.05.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga and UN High-Commissioner to Human Rights Michelle Bachelet highlighted how important the freedom of the press is to democracy, on 4 May 2022 in Geneva. Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize laureates in 2022, participated to the World Press Freedom Day.

International Cooperation Forum 2022

04.04.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis opened the International Cooperation Forum 2022 in Geneva on 31 March 2022.

Yemen Pledging Conference

16.03.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva

Switezrland and Sweden co-hosted a pledging conference on 14 March 2022. Switzerland pleadged 14,5 millions francs for humanitarian response

EDA Press Release

Faces of Switzerland at the UN

02.03.2022 — Article Mission Geneva
Switzerland is Host State of the United Nations in Europe since 1945 (and before that was Host State of the League of Nations) and became a Member State of the UN on 10 September 2002.

Opening of the 49th Human Rights Council

28.02.2022 — Mission Geneva
Opening address of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council

Ignazio Cassis inaugurates new extension in the Palais des Nations

02.11.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva
Ignazio Cassis inaugurated a new building in the Palais des Nations complex, together with UNOG Director-general Tatjana Valovaya.

Building Bridges 2021

22.10.2021 — Mission Geneva
A contribution of Switzerland to the SDGs

GESDA: a radar to map emerging scientific breakthroughs

12.10.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva
The Geneva Science & Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) unveiled a system that allows to identify forthcoming scientific breakthrough in the next quarter-century, called the "GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar".