Switzerland and the UN
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has published a dossier on the role of Switzerland in the UN and vice versa on the importance of Swiss membership in the United Nations for the country.
Swiss Membership in the UN
Since it joined the United Nations in the autumn of 2002, Switzerland has been a particularly active member. It has demonstrated that it is interested in constructive cooperation and that it is in a position to formulate pragmatic proposals that facilitate the search for solutions. In this context, Switzerland benefits from the fact that it is not suspected of pursuing hidden agendas.
Role of Observer
Switzerland joined the UN in 2002. Since 1948, it had been an observer at the UN's main bodies although it was already a member of all the UN's specialised agencies, funds, programmes and institutions. It was always committed to working with the UN in those areas of UN activity which correspond with its own foreign policy concerns. These include the promotion and defence of peace and security. With the decision of the people and cantons on 3 March 2002 to become a full member, Switzerland took up a seat as a member of the core UN bodies, including the General Assembly, where it is be able to better safeguard its interests.
Swiss initiatives
Swiss Membership in the UN
Since it joined the United Nations in the autumn of 2002, Switzerland has been a particularly active member. It has demonstrated that it is interested in constructive cooperation and that it is in a position to formulate pragmatic proposals that facilitate the search for solutions. In this context, Switzerland benefits from the fact that it is not suspected of pursuing hidden agendas.
Role of Observer
Switzerland joined the UN in 2002. Since 1948, it had been an observer at the UN's main bodies although it was already a member of all the UN's specialised agencies, funds, programmes and institutions. It was always committed to working with the UN in those areas of UN activity which correspond with its own foreign policy concerns. These include the promotion and defence of peace and security. With the decision of the people and cantons on 3 March 2002 to become a full member, Switzerland took up a seat as a member of the core UN bodies, including the General Assembly, where it is be able to better safeguard its interests.
Swiss initiatives
 | the creation of a Human Rights Council, |
| improvement of the working methods of the Security Council, |
| smart sanctions, |
| and the development of an instrument to mark and to ensure the traceability of small arms and light weapons. |
