Poor sanitary conditions pose a health risk. This is a major problem, particularly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even today, one third of the world's population has no adequate access to clean water. To help people living poverty protect themselves during the current pandemic, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is supporting hygiene awareness campaigns and the creation of more handwashing stations.

Discussions on the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income countries have gained considerable momentum. Remittances from migrants and wider diaspora communities to their countries of origin are a key issue in this respect. Switzerland is therefore launching an appeal to keep remittance channels open and give the poorest communities continued access to these vital sources of income.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis talks to RTS in 'Pardonnez-moi' about the COVID-19 measures and the possible consequences of the pandemic. As he told the programme, many countries have thanked Switzerland for repatriating their citizens. It has also become clear that no country can tackle a crisis of this magnitude on its own. Here are some key quotes from the interview:

In an interview with "Schaffhauser Nachrichten", Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis talks about how Switzerland is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the difficult path back to normality. He also said that various foreign policy issues needed to be assessed.

The FDFA advises caution and preparation when travelling during the summer holidays. Information on the regulations of the country of destination as well as on the rules for returning to Switzerland are prerequisites.

Summer is here! Switzerland offers many opportunities to spend the summer holidays, especially with children. However, if you still want to travel abroad with children this summer, it is important to find out about the entry requirements for the destination country before you leave. In the case of minor children travelling with only one parent or without a legal guardian, it is strongly recommended to draw up a declaration of consent.

Millions of people who have been displaced by armed conflict and natural disasters are currently seeking refuge. This situation is being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Swiss Humanitarian Aid is helping international organisations in the fight against COVID-19, including in refugee camps, which ties in with the other efforts of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to deal with the current crisis.

Venezuela's social, economic and political situation has been deteriorating for years. COVID-19 further exacerbates the already precarious humanitarian situation of the population. In an interview, Manuel Bessler, Head of Humanitarian Aid, explains how Switzerland has organized a transport of relief supplies at the request of UN organizations, NGOs and the ICRC. The relief supplies reached Caracas on 19 June and should bring relief to over a million people.

Over 90 percent of schoolchildren and students have been unable to attend school due to COVID-19. This is a particular problem in developing countries and conflict regions, where schools, in addition to providing education, also offer a safe environment that fosters their physical and mental development. Switzerland is setting an example: Together with partner organizations, it is calling on the international community to strengthen education in emergencies.

The civil war in Yemen has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. At a pledging conference co-hosted by the UN and Saudi Arabia, Switzerland has announced that it will make CHF 12 million available for measures to assist the Yemeni people. The international community has pledged a total of USD 1.35 billion towards relief efforts to help the affected population.

In two interviews with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) and the Tribune de Genève (TdG), Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis talks about the significance of the UN in the 75 years since its foundation, about the role as well as the influence of Switzerland and how COVID-19 has changed international cooperation.

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.

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.

The international cooperation strategy is a foreign policy framework for Switzerland, based on the Federal Constitution, to alleviate need and poverty worldwide, improve respect for human rights, promote democracy and protect the environment. The Federal Council defined the thematic and geographical priorities for the next four years in February. In the 2020 summer session, the National Council is to discuss the subject.

Reliable, comprehensive and accessible data is essential for making decisions that benefit communities locally and worldwide and for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. Yet according to the UN, only 19% of countries have statistics legislation that meets international standards. Thomas Gass of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) considers the strengthening of global data systems to be crucially important. This is why Switzerland is engaged in numerous initiatives in this regard.

The Annual Report on Switzerland's International Cooperation 2019 has just been published. Last year, Switzerland was active in environmental issues, basic education and vocational skills development and increased cooperation with the private sector, among other areas. Activities in the health sector were also a key priority, as they help to strengthen partner countries' resilience during the COVID-19 crisis.

One of the main goals of international cooperation (IC) is poverty reduction. To reach this goal and have a lasting impact in the countries concerned, partnerships with the private sector are essential. The innovative drive, expertise, distribution channels and investment opportunities of private-sector companies make them invaluable to the implementation of IC activities.

As part of its foreign policy strategy (FPS 2020–23), Switzerland has organised an international workshop to develop its first ever strategy for sub-Saharan Africa. Hailing from more than 30 different African countries, the diplomatic representatives taking part in the workshop in Bern are putting the emphasis on long-term cooperation and the vast potential, which lies in the relations with African countries.

The Charter of the United Nations celebrates its 75th anniversary. Signed in San Francisco on 26 June 1945 by 50 states, the UN Charter signified the founding of the United Nations and set out its framework. The principles and objectives of this multilateral organisation still broadly correspond to Switzerland's interests and values today.

A Swiss citizen, who had been in the hands of Colombian hostage-takers for almost three months, has been freed on Thursday 18 June 2020. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has taken note of this news with relief and thanks the Colombian authorities, in particular the Colombian armed forces, for their support.

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?

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.

The promotion of human rights and respect for international law are essential pillars of Switzerland's foreign policy. Switzerland supports various projects and organisations to this end. Among these is the NGO Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners. As the NGO has been accused of having close ties with a terrorist organisation, the head of the FDFA, Ignazio Cassis, had the accusations investigated by the department in January 2020. The investigation was unable to confirm any of the allegations. Based on the information currently available to the FDFA, there are no grounds to terminate funding to Addameer.

Permanent access to fresh drinking water or sufficient water supply for farming and industry: what is taken for granted in Switzerland can trigger conflict in other parts of the world. 263 catchment basins of rivers or lakes extend over two or more countries worldwide. Around 300 groundwater reserves spanning borders also represent the basis of existence for two billion people globally. The use of water across borders presents potential for conflict. Switzerland aims to defuse potential conflicts with a preventative approach through water diplomacy (Blue Peace).

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.

Ignazio Cassis takes the opportunity of the national holiday to discover the beauty of Switzerland. In an interview with Sonntagsblick, he tells of his experience regarding the awareness of the Swiss public during a global pandemic, why movement and passion are important for our country, and why a good relationship with European countries is particularly precious in uncertain times.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis is staying in Switzerland this summer. To mark Swiss National Day, he is taking a short online trip, from Bern to Ticino, to explore Switzerland's humanitarian tradition and the innovative strengths of its cities. He shares a personal Swiss National Day message from Swissminiatur in Melide.

The post of head of the State Secretariat has been open for applications since mid-July. The successful applicant will succeed the ad interim state secretary, Krystyna Marty Lang, who will be transferred as planned to Moscow in early 2021. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has set up a selection committee for the appointment.

To mark Swiss National Day on 1 August, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, paid a surprise visit to the more than 400 young people at a summer camp at the National Youth Sports Centre in Tenero, Ticino. Mr Cassis expressed his pride and confidence in the young people from all of Switzerland's language regions. Their joy of playing and their urge to be active are a symbol of the joie de vivre of a country that is looking ahead after a long period of lockdown.