Today, Switzerland takes over the OSCE Chairpersonship. Switzerland is the first country to have chaired the OSCE three times, following previous terms in 1996 and 2014. This mandate is part of its ongoing commitment to peace, security and stability in Europe and beyond.
For this Chairpersonship, Switzerland has defined five priorities: the Helsinki Principles – for lasting peace; inclusive multilateral diplomacy; anticipating technologies – for a safe and humane future; democracy, the rule of law and human rights; and the OSCE’s ability to act.
“In the face of war in Europe, Switzerland is committed to a just peace in Ukraine, based on international law and the Helsinki principles,” declared Swiss Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, the new OSCE Chairman-in-Office. “We will use our mediation experience to promote dialogue, trust, and security.”
Switzerland intends to promote inclusive dialogue with all 57 participating States on security. “We approach our Chairpersonship knowing that despite tensions the OSCE remains indispensable. We will work with a simple conviction: when diplomacy seems impossible, it becomes crucial,” he noted.
“Consensus is the bedrock of our organization. But it also requires responsibility from each of us,” reminded Minister Cassis last September before the Permanent Council. “Switzerland’s political system is based on dialogue and listening to all parties. This is the spirit in which we will chair the OSCE,” added the Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
Switzerland will support OSCE field operations and election observation missions, while ensuring that democracy, the rule of law and human rights remain central to European security. The Swiss Chairpersonship will be particularly focused on direct engagement with key OSCE states and regions. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will make several trips to various OSCE priority zones.
As part of its agenda, Switzerland will host four international conferences, as well as the Ministerial Council. The first conference will take place on 9 and10 February in St. Gallen and will focus on combating antisemitism and other forms of intolerance. The second, on 7 and 8 May in Geneva, will examine how scientific and technological advances are transforming security and co-operation in Europe. The third conference, on 3 and 4 September in Bern, will draw on archival documents from several countries to reflect on the initial development and raison d’être of the precursor to the OSCE. The fourth – held on 29 and 30 September in Zug – will focus on de-escalation in cyberspace.
With its Chairpersonship, Switzerland reaffirms the relevance of the principles of the Helsinki Final Act: “We must not simply celebrate Helsinki but update it. The Decalogue is not a symbolic legacy: it is a manual for action,” said Minister Cassis during the last Ministerial Council, held last month in Vienna.
