fbpx
Wikipedia

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

April 14, 2024

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA, German: Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten, French: Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, Italian: Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri, Romansh: Departament federal d’affars exteriursⓘ), so named since 1979, is one of the seven Departments of the Swiss government federal administration of Switzerland, and corresponds in its range of tasks to the ministry of foreign affairs in other countries. The department is always headed by one of the members of the Swiss Federal Council. Since 1 November 2017, the department is headed by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis.

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
(in German) Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
(in French) Département fédéral des affaires étrangères
(in Italian) Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri
(in Romansh) Departament federal d’affars exteriurs

The west wing of the Federal Palace of Switzerland
Agency overview
Formed1848; 176 years ago (1848)
JurisdictionFederal administration of Switzerland
HeadquartersBern
Minister responsible
Websitewww.eda.admin.ch

Mission edit

The mission of the FDFA is to safeguard Switzerland's interests abroad and its relations with other countries, as stipulated in Art. 54, para. 1 of the Swiss Federal Constitution.[1] The subsequent paragraph further outlines the parameters by which Swiss foreign policy is to be conducted:

The Confederation shall ensure that the independence of Switzerland and its welfare is safeguarded; it shall in particular assist in the alleviation of need and poverty in the world and promote respect for human rights and democracy, the peaceful co-existence of peoples as well as the conservation of natural resources.[1]

At the beginning of every parliamentary legislature, the FDFA submits a foreign policy strategy to the Federal Council, setting out the main focus areas and foreign policy priorities for the term. For the 2020-23 period, these focus areas include:

  • Peace and security
  • Prosperity
  • Sustainability
  • Digitalisation

History edit

The FDFA has been one of the key Swiss ministries since the creation of the modern Swiss federal state in 1848.

Originally, what was then known as the "Federal Political Department" (FPD) was led by whomever held the rotating presidency, meaning the responsibility for foreign affairs changed on a yearly basis. With very limited means at its disposal, it comprised a meagre staff of officers in Bern and a very limited diplomatic and consular network abroad.

In 1887, the department was restructured by then-president Numa Droz, who then assumed leadership of what was thereafter known as the Federal Department of the Exterior for five years. Beginning in 1896, the Federal Council reprised the previous rotating system, which would be maintained until 1914 with the passage of the Federal Administration Act. From that moment forward, the head of the FPD would no longer change from year to year, and the Department, in liaison with the Department of the Economy (present-day known as the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research) accrued increased competence in commercial matters.[2] With Switzerland's accession to the League of Nations in the aftermath of the First World War, the FPD's responsibilities were further expanded and in particular as Geneva was transformed into a major hub for international diplomacy, marked in particular by the construction of the Palais des Nations in to serve as headquarters for the League in that city.

Following the Second World War, in which Switzerland remained neutral, the orientation of Swiss foreign policy adjusted to the new paradigms of the Cold War. Switzerland did not join the newly-created United Nations, which succeeded the League of Nations. The reason for this refusal was that it was impossible to obtain explicit recognition from the organisation of its status as a neutral country. In 1961, specific structures were created within the FDP for the administration of official development assistance and for fostering relations with other countries in Europe and, in particular, the various European cooperation organisations that emerged in that period, such as the European Coal and Steel Community.[2]

With the expanding portfolio of responsibilities assigned to the ministry, in 1979 the FDP was once again reorganised and renamed, this time to the present name, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, the position of FDFA state secretary — the number-two person at the Department – was created, and competences of the Department were increased to cover areas such as disarmament, science policy and human rights.[2]

In 2002, Switzerland joined the United Nations, following the endorsement of its accession through a popular referendum. In 2023, it assumed a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.[3]

Former Names edit

  • 1848–1887: Federal Political Department
  • 1888–1895: Federal Department of the Exterior
  • 1896–1978: Federal Political Department

Organization edit

  • General Secretariat
  • State Secretariat
    • Presidential Affairs and Protocol
    • Crisis Management Centre
  • Directorate of Political Affairs
    • Europe, Central Asia, Council of Europe, OSCE Division
    • Middle East and North Africa Division
    • Subsaharan Africa and Francophonie Division if
    • Asia and the Pacific Division
    • Americas Division
    • United Nations and International Organisations
    • Human Security Division
    • Sectoral Foreign Policy Division
    • Division for Security Policy
  • Directorate of European Affairs, DEA
  • Directorate of Corporate Resources (DR)
  • Consular Directorate CD
  • Directorate of International Law DIL
  • Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

List of heads of department edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b . www.fedlex.admin.ch. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "History of the FDFA". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Switzerland elected to UN Security Council". SWI swissinfo.ch. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. ^ Presence Switzerland

External links edit

  • www.eda.admin.ch
  • Swiss embassies and representations abroad
  • Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland
  • FDFA Publications
  • FDFA on Social Media

April 14, 2024
federal, department, foreign, affairs, fdfa, german, eidgenössisches, departement, für, auswärtige, angelegenheiten, french, département, fédéral, affaires, étrangères, italian, dipartimento, federale, degli, affari, esteri, romansh, departament, federal, affa. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA German Eidgenossisches Departement fur auswartige Angelegenheiten French Departement federal des affaires etrangeres Italian Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri Romansh Departament federal d affars exteriurs so named since 1979 is one of the seven Departments of the Swiss government federal administration of Switzerland and corresponds in its range of tasks to the ministry of foreign affairs in other countries The department is always headed by one of the members of the Swiss Federal Council Since 1 November 2017 the department is headed by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in German Eidgenossisches Departement fur auswartige Angelegenheiten in French Departement federal des affaires etrangeres in Italian Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri in Romansh Departament federal d affars exteriursThe west wing of the Federal Palace of SwitzerlandAgency overviewFormed1848 176 years ago 1848 JurisdictionFederal administration of SwitzerlandHeadquartersBernMinister responsibleIgnazio Cassis Federal CouncillorWebsitewww eda admin ch Contents 1 Mission 2 History 2 1 Former Names 3 Organization 4 List of heads of department 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksMission editThe mission of the FDFA is to safeguard Switzerland s interests abroad and its relations with other countries as stipulated in Art 54 para 1 of the Swiss Federal Constitution 1 The subsequent paragraph further outlines the parameters by which Swiss foreign policy is to be conducted The Confederation shall ensure that the independence of Switzerland and its welfare is safeguarded it shall in particular assist in the alleviation of need and poverty in the world and promote respect for human rights and democracy the peaceful co existence of peoples as well as the conservation of natural resources 1 At the beginning of every parliamentary legislature the FDFA submits a foreign policy strategy to the Federal Council setting out the main focus areas and foreign policy priorities for the term For the 2020 23 period these focus areas include Peace and security Prosperity Sustainability DigitalisationHistory editThe FDFA has been one of the key Swiss ministries since the creation of the modern Swiss federal state in 1848 Originally what was then known as the Federal Political Department FPD was led by whomever held the rotating presidency meaning the responsibility for foreign affairs changed on a yearly basis With very limited means at its disposal it comprised a meagre staff of officers in Bern and a very limited diplomatic and consular network abroad In 1887 the department was restructured by then president Numa Droz who then assumed leadership of what was thereafter known as the Federal Department of the Exterior for five years Beginning in 1896 the Federal Council reprised the previous rotating system which would be maintained until 1914 with the passage of the Federal Administration Act From that moment forward the head of the FPD would no longer change from year to year and the Department in liaison with the Department of the Economy present day known as the Federal Department of Economic Affairs Education and Research accrued increased competence in commercial matters 2 With Switzerland s accession to the League of Nations in the aftermath of the First World War the FPD s responsibilities were further expanded and in particular as Geneva was transformed into a major hub for international diplomacy marked in particular by the construction of the Palais des Nations in to serve as headquarters for the League in that city Following the Second World War in which Switzerland remained neutral the orientation of Swiss foreign policy adjusted to the new paradigms of the Cold War Switzerland did not join the newly created United Nations which succeeded the League of Nations The reason for this refusal was that it was impossible to obtain explicit recognition from the organisation of its status as a neutral country In 1961 specific structures were created within the FDP for the administration of official development assistance and for fostering relations with other countries in Europe and in particular the various European cooperation organisations that emerged in that period such as the European Coal and Steel Community 2 With the expanding portfolio of responsibilities assigned to the ministry in 1979 the FDP was once again reorganised and renamed this time to the present name Federal Department of Foreign Affairs At the same time the position of FDFA state secretary the number two person at the Department was created and competences of the Department were increased to cover areas such as disarmament science policy and human rights 2 In 2002 Switzerland joined the United Nations following the endorsement of its accession through a popular referendum In 2023 it assumed a seat as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council 3 Former Names edit 1848 1887 Federal Political Department 1888 1895 Federal Department of the Exterior 1896 1978 Federal Political DepartmentOrganization editGeneral Secretariat Presence Switzerland 4 State Secretariat Presidential Affairs and Protocol Crisis Management Centre Directorate of Political Affairs Europe Central Asia Council of Europe OSCE Division Middle East and North Africa Division Subsaharan Africa and Francophonie Division if Asia and the Pacific Division Americas Division United Nations and International Organisations Human Security Division Sectoral Foreign Policy Division Division for Security Policy Directorate of European Affairs DEA Directorate of Corporate Resources DR Consular Directorate CD Directorate of International Law DIL Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC List of heads of department edit1848 1849 Jonas Furrer 1850 Henri Druey 1851 Josef Munzinger 1852 Jonas Furrer 1853 Wilhelm Matthias Naeff 1854 Friedrich Frey Herose 1855 Jonas Furrer 1856 Jakob Stampfli 1857 Constant Fornerod 1858 Jonas Furrer 1859 Jakob Stampfli 1860 Friedrich Frey Herose 1861 Melchior Josef Martin Knusel 1862 Jakob Stampfli 1863 Constant Fornerod 1864 Jakob Dubs 1865 Karl Schenk 1866 Melchior Josef Martin Knusel 1867 Constant Fornerod 1868 Jakob Dubs 1869 Emil Welti 1870 Jakob Dubs 1871 Karl Schenk 1872 Emil Welti 1873 Paul Ceresole 1874 Karl Schenk 1875 Johann Jakob Scherer 1876 Emil Welti 1877 Joachim Heer 1878 Karl Schenk 1879 Bernhard Hammer 1880 Emil Welti 1881 Numa Droz 1882 Simeon Bavier 1883 Louis Ruchonnet 1884 Emil Welti 1885 Karl Schenk 1886 Adolf Deucher 1887 1892 Numa Droz 1893 1896 Adrien Lachenal 1897 Adolf Deucher 1898 Eugene Ruffy 1899 Eduard Muller 1900 Walter Hauser 1901 Ernst Brenner 1902 Josef Zemp 1903 Adolf Deucher 1904 Robert Comtesse 1905 Marc Emile Ruchet 1906 Ludwig Forrer 1907 Eduard Muller 1908 Ernst Brenner 1909 Adolf Deucher 1910 Robert Comtesse 1911 Marc Emile Ruchet 1912 Ludwig Forrer 1913 Eduard Muller 1914 1917 Arthur Hoffmann 1917 Gustave Ador 1918 1919 Felix Calonder 1920 1940 Giuseppe Motta 1940 1944 Marcel Pilet Golaz 1945 1961 Max Petitpierre 1961 1965 Friedrich Traugott Wahlen 1966 1970 Willy Spuhler 1970 1978 Pierre Graber 1978 1987 Pierre Aubert 1988 1993 Rene Felber 1994 1999 Flavio Cotti 1999 2002 Joseph Deiss 2003 2011 Micheline Calmy Rey 2012 2017 Didier Burkhalter 2017 present Ignazio CassisSee also editForeign relations of Switzerland Protecting powerReferences edit a b Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999 of the Swiss Confederation www fedlex admin ch Archived from the original on 6 July 2021 Retrieved 23 August 2023 a b c History of the FDFA www eda admin ch Retrieved 23 August 2023 Switzerland elected to UN Security Council SWI swissinfo ch 9 June 2022 Retrieved 23 August 2023 Presence SwitzerlandExternal links editwww eda admin ch Swiss embassies and representations abroad Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland FDFA Publications FDFA on Social Media The Swiss Confederation a brief guide Portals nbsp Switzerland nbsp Politics Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Federal Department of Foreign Affairs amp oldid 1217203750, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.