Monday, 21.09.2020 – Friday, 02.10.2020

View of the Assembly Hall at United Nations headquarters.
2020 marks 75 years of the UN. © Keystone

President of the Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, represent Switzerland at the UN GA.

Heads of state and government from around the world normally travel to New York for the high-level opening of the UN General Assembly.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic, President Sommaruga and Mr Cassis represent Switzerland remotely at the high-level weeks (21 September to 2 October 2020).

On 21 September, Mr Cassis taks part in an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN.

On the first day of the high-level general debate on 22 September, President Sommaruga addresses the General Assembly on behalf of Switzerland.

Ms Sommaruga also takes part in events on biodiversity, digital cooperation and women's rights during the two opening weeks.

Switzerland's priorities

Drawing on the Foreign Policy Strategy 2020–23 and with a view to its candidature for a seat on the Security Council in 2023–24, Switzerland pursues the following priorities: dealing with the impact of COVID-19, UN reforms, cybersecurity and digital governance, and International Geneva.

Switzerland's priorities for the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (PDF, 3 Pages, 457.0 kB, English)

Federal Council sets four Swiss priorities for UN General Assembly's 75th session, FDFA press release, 11.09.2020

Twitter Switzerland-UN

 

22.09.2020 - President of the Swiss Confederation presentations at the UN

President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, presents the UN General Assembly Switzerland's foreign policy priorities in connection with the UN.

Furthermore, the President of the Swiss Confederation takes part in a series of other virtual events during the high-level weeks of the UN General Assembly: 

  • 23 September: Digital Cooperation Summit – Action Today for Future Generations
  • 30 September: Summit on Biodiversity
  • 1 October: High-level meeting on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women

On 23 September Federal Councillor Alain Berset takes part in the side-event Vaccines for the many or only the few? Immunizations and COVID-19.

DETEC website on the subject  

21.09.2020 – 75 years UN

The United Nations celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2020. As the UN
General Assembly opens its 75th annual session, Federal Councillor
Ignazio Cassis has in a video message paid tribute to the work done by
the UN – notably in the fight against the pandemic – and acknowledged
the organisation's fundamental role in shaping the future.

Article – "Cooperation between states is as important today as it was 75 years ago."

Address – High-level meeting to mark the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations

Last update 06.03.2024

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