International organizations

The Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions on the implementation of the Fourth Convention (protection of civilians in wartime) in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, will not take place. Profound differences between the high contracting parties to the Geneva Conventions emerged during an extensive consultation process. Switzerland, as the depositary state, therefore concluded that a significant number of the high contracting parties did not support such a conference, and has decided against holding one.

Who is Emílio Goeldi and why is he so well known in Brazil? At COP30, which will take place this year in Belém in the heart of the Amazon, Switzerland, through its representation in Brasilia, will outline in stages its historical and current commitments to sustainability and global biodiversity. Since the 19th century, Goeldi has been one of the family names that best personifies this commitment to the region.

In 2026, Switzerland will assume the chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the third time, following its previous terms in 1996 and 2014. Switzerland was elected by the participating states of the organisation in a secret ballot. Switzerland will take on leadership functions on 1 January 2025 as a member of the OSCE's troika – comprising the 2024 (Malta), 2025 (Finland) and 2026 (Switzerland) chairs. Switzerland has already gained the necessary experience for this role through its past OSCE chairpersonships.

In December 2024, the UN General Assembly will decide whether to adopt the new convention against cybercrime. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) led the Swiss delegation in the negotiations on the convention. In this interview, Irene Grohsmann from the International Security Division at the FDFA, together with Andrea Candrian and Sara Pangrazzi, who both work at the Federal Office of Justice within the FDJP, give us their take on the negotiations and their outcome.

Switzerland will take part in the World Expo in Belgrade in 2027, with 120 participating countries and over 2.6 million visitors expected. Under the motto "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All", the event will showcase ideas and solutions in response to the question: "How to prepare the human body, mind and logic for a technology-led world full of insecurities and make humans more resilient for the coming decades?"

Switzerland's permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Jürg Lauber, was elected president of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on Monday 9 December, two months after Switzerland was elected a council member. The HRC is the UN's main human rights body.