At the beginning of every year, the Federal Council publishes the foreign policy report, in which it summarises and reviews the key foreign policy events of the past 12 months. 2019 saw polarising movements like Fridays for Future and the mass protests in Hong Kong, while the rivalry between major global players such as the United States, China and Russia intensified. How was Switzerland able to assert itself against this backdrop?

The United Kingdom officially left the EU on 31 January 2020. Swiss–UK relations remain unchanged for the time being. This is because there is a transition period until at least the end of 2020, during which the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU continue to apply to Swiss–UK relations. Switzerland has already laid the basis for Swiss–UK relations after the transition period, however.

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.

Peace and security, prosperity, sustainability, and digitalisation are the foreign policy priorities for the next four years. At its meeting on 29 January, the Federal Council approved Switzerland's foreign policy strategy for the next four years. The strategy also defines clear regional objectives worldwide, with a special focus on the EU, and new objectives for the external network and foreign policy communication.

Forest fires in the Amazon basin, calculations of hurricane trajectories, seasonal climate forecasts for agriculture: the early warning systems set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) facilitate preventive measures to protect communities against natural disasters. At its meeting on 3 April 2020, the Federal Council decided to support a new WMO programme to enable developing and emerging countries to better meet the challenges of climate change. Currently based in Peru, humanitarian expert Omar Bellprat has been working for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for two years. He gives us an insight into his daily work and its importance for local communities.

Claude Altermatt, the Swiss Ambassador in Minsk, talks about bilateral relations between Switzerland and Belarus and the importance of the opening of the Embassy.

This was the visionary agenda of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, 25 years ago. But the many challenges highlighted back then continue to be relevant today. The UN Commission on the Status of Women is currently conducting a review at its 64th session in New York – in a reduced format because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Switzerland is taking an active part. Read on for an overview of its work to promote gender equality and women's rights.

Switzerland's international cooperation work is a foreign policy instrument. Rooted in the Federal Constitution, its purpose is to alleviate need and poverty in the world, to foster respect for human rights, to promote democracy and to conserve the environment. The Federal Council adopted the International Cooperation Strategy on 19 February 2020, and is applying to Parliament for CHF 11.25 billion for its implementation.

Today, almost all domestic policy issues have an international dimension. In a world with widening global imbalances, Switzerland must position itself clearly in order to protect its interests and values. With its 2020–23 foreign policy strategy, adopted by the Federal Council on 29 January, Switzerland has the means to steer its course effectively. State Secretary a.i. Krystyna Marty plays a key role in implementing the strategy. Interview.

The global COVID-19 pandemic is now affecting the day-to-day work of everyone at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Twenty years ago, the Voluntary Principles were launched to work with mining, gas and oil companies and find a way of preventing human rights violations. The initiative fosters dialogue between governments, companies and NGOs. Switzerland is a member and in its role as chair, which lasts for one year and ends in March 2020, it has worked to strengthen this multi-stakeholder approach in the field, in accordance with its own Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23. The results have been positive.

This was the visionary agenda of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, 25 years ago. But the many challenges highlighted back then continue to be relevant today. The UN Commission on the Status of Women is currently conducting a review at its 64th session in New York – in a reduced format because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Switzerland is taking an active part. Read on for an overview of its work to promote gender equality and women's rights.

International Women's Day is a reminder of the challenges that remain in terms of women's rights and world peace. Working on this is a continuous task, says Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis. This is why Switzerland strengthens the status of women through projects in different countries and at multilateral level. Mr Cassis gives the FDFA good marks: he notes that with women making up 50,2% of its staff, the department is a leading example of gender equality in action.

The global COVID-19 pandemic is now affecting the day-to-day work of everyone at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has poverty reduction and sustainable development as its primary goal. To achieve this, it relies on innovative solutions and new partnerships. Especially in fragile contexts where there is great poverty, unconventional approaches and new instruments are often needed, says SDC Deputy Director-General Thomas Gass. In some cases, these can only be implemented in cooperation with private sector actors.

Twenty years ago, the Voluntary Principles were launched to work with mining, gas and oil companies and find a way of preventing human rights violations. The initiative fosters dialogue between governments, companies and NGOs. Switzerland is a member and in its role as chair, which lasts for one year and ends in March 2020, it has worked to strengthen this multi-stakeholder approach in the field, in accordance with its own Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23. The results have been positive.

Culture promotion is a vital component of Swiss development assistance. Switzerland supports an array of initiatives promoting artistic expression in its partner regions. In North Africa, as in other difficult contexts, culture has a tremendous power to open up dialogue.

This was the visionary agenda of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, 25 years ago. But the many challenges highlighted back then continue to be relevant today. The UN Commission on the Status of Women is currently conducting a review at its 64th session in New York – in a reduced format because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Switzerland is taking an active part. Read on for an overview of its work to promote gender equality and women's rights.

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.

Switzerland's international cooperation work is a foreign policy instrument. Rooted in the Federal Constitution, its purpose is to alleviate need and poverty in the world, to foster respect for human rights, to promote democracy and to conserve the environment. The Federal Council adopted the International Cooperation Strategy on 19 February 2020, and is applying to Parliament for CHF 11.25 billion for its implementation.

At the beginning of every year, the Federal Council publishes the foreign policy report, in which it summarises and reviews the key foreign policy events of the past 12 months. 2019 saw polarising movements like Fridays for Future and the mass protests in Hong Kong, while the rivalry between major global players such as the United States, China and Russia intensified. How was Switzerland able to assert itself against this backdrop?