“Head of Swiss Department of Defence Visits UN for Peacekeeping and Security Discussions”

Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport

Bern, 25.05.2023 – On the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers and the Swiss Presidency of the UN Security Council, the head of the DDPS, Federal Councilor Viola Amherd, will pay a working visit to the UN in New York on 25 and 26 May. The head of the DDPS chairs a Security Council meeting on peace and security in Africa. She will also hold bilateral talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other UN representatives. She will also take part in UN events marking the 75th anniversary of the oldest UN peacekeeping mission (UNTSO).

The oldest UN peacekeeping mission United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), which maintains the Middle East ceasefire, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. With General Patrick Gauchat as head of UNTSO, a Swiss officer took command of a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time in 2021. The working visit of the head of the DDPS focuses on Switzerland’s role in peacebuilding and the important work of the up to 100,000 UN peacekeepers who are deployed around the world under difficult conditions to prevent conflicts, protect the civilian population and enable political solutions.

Against this background, the head of the DDPS will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council that will deal with the financing of peacekeeping missions in Africa.

Bilateral exchange on military peacebuilding operations

The Head of the DDPS will hold bilateral talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about current and planned military peacebuilding operations.

Federal Councilor Amherd will open the photo exhibition “Inside Out” to mark the 75th anniversary of peacebuilding with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix and take part in a panel on the future of UN peacekeeping missions.

Role of women in conflict prevention

Finally, the head of the DDPS met with UN Under-Secretary-General Sima Bahous from UN Women to exchange views on the role of women in conflict prevention and in peace processes. Switzerland is committed to an active role for women, particularly in the context of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”. Switzerland is in the process of implementing its fourth National Action Plan of the same name.

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Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport

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