Switzerland hosted the first Summit on Peace in Ukraine from 15-16 June 2024 at the Bürgenstock Resort above Lake Lucerne. It provided a forum where world leaders from nearly 100 countries could discuss paths towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on international law and the UN Charter.
This was the latest in a series of examples of Switzerland playing an instrumental role in fostering peace. Through its good offices, Switzerland has accompanied over 30 peace processes in more than 20 countries in recent years.
Promoting peace is enshrined in the Swiss Federal Constitution. Building peace is among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities. With its neutrality, humanitarian tradition, experience and expertise, Switzerland enjoys a high degree of integrity in promoting peace. It is a sought-after partner in fostering and building peace worldwide. Switzerland’s inclusive and consensus-driven political system adds to the appeal and credibility of its good offices.
What are good offices?
“Good offices” describe efforts of a third party to help settle a conflict between two or more parties peacefully. Good offices range from providing technical and organisational services for the well-functioning of peace talks or negotiations (e.g. providing a conference venue), to facilitation, mediation and negotiation support and participation in peace processes.
Switzerland’s good offices consist of three areas:
- Switzerland as a host state for peace talks or negotiations
- Switzerland as a facilitator or mediator or in support of peace negotiations
- protecting power mandates (see below)
When do they come into play?
Switzerland deploys its good offices:
- if it adds value through its expertise and reputation as honest broker
- if there is a request
- if it furthers its interests (peace, security, stability, economic and social wellbeing)
You can find more information on good offices here as well as in this Federal Council report, available to download in German, French or Italian.
What Switzerland offers
Based on the premise that ultimately all conflicts will be settled through a negotiated solution that requires compromise, Switzerland works directly or in a supporting role as an impartial third party towards creating the political conditions necessary for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
• Hosting capacity
• Facilitation and mediation
• Protecting power
As a neutral country, Switzerland maintains an extensive network of embassies in all world regions and invests in good relations with all countries. Switzerland is regularly asked to host peace talks, negotiations and high-level meetings.
International Geneva is particularly suited to this as the representation of countries through diplomatic missions is almost universal, and Geneva is host to numerous international organisations (such as the UN and the ICRC) as well as to many NGOs and economic and scientific institutions. As a host to the UN Peace Process in Syria, Switzerland provides additional support by setting up a special platform – the Civil Society Support Room – in Geneva, which gives ordinary Syrian citizens a say in efforts to seek a lasting solution for Syria.
As part of its good offices, Switzerland also takes on the role of facilitator and mediator.
A facilitator is a third party who supports and promotes contact between parties to a conflict without substantively contributing to the negotiations. Chosen by the parties to a conflict, the facilitator helps them to meet at a suitable location, discuss possible ways of resolving the conflict, conduct negotiations and sign an agreement.
A mediator is an impartial third party who, with the consent of all parties to a conflict, assists them on a voluntary basis to prevent, manage or resolve their conflict by helping them to develop mutually acceptable agreements.
Over the last decade Switzerland has accompanied over 30 peace processes in more than 20 countries. One example is Mozambique, where civil war flared up again in 2013. In 2016, the government and opposition party called on Switzerland’s good offices. Switzerland acted as mediator in the peace talks, which culminated in a peace treaty on 6 August 2019. Previously, Switzerland played instrumental roles in peace processes for example in Burundi, Colombia, Myanmar and Sudan.
Currently Switzerland is actively involved in mediating or providing support to dialogues, facilitation, and negotiation processes in the following places: Colombia, Libya, Syria, Kosovo and Serbia, Lebanon, Georgia, and Sri Lanka, among others.
Switzerland will continue to offer its good offices and strengthen its mediation capacities.
Switzerland is traditionally a protecting power. The number of such mandates fluctuates and depends on the state of conflicts in the world. Whereas the number of such mandates was very high during the Second World War, this number has declined since. Upon request, Switzerland may fulfil a protection power mandate if states have come to the decision to break off diplomatic and/or consular relations. With the consent of all the parties concerned, the protecting power takes on the mandate agreed with the mandating state to grant protection to citizens of that state and/or to represent its interests in the host state. Protecting power mandates allow states to maintain a minimum level of relations or communication in crisis.
Switzerland currently has seven protecting power mandates. It represents the interests of Iran in Egypt, of the United States in Iran, of Georgia in Russia, of Russia in Georgia, of Iran in Saudi Arabia, of Saudi Arabia in Iran and of Iran in Canada.
Swiss good offices – some examples
This is a non-exhaustive list of conferences and meetings that were part of peace processes or otherwise important meetings for maintaining a peaceful world order, most held on Swiss soil within the ambit of Swiss good offices.
Examples
2021 US and Russia
2020-2022 UN Libya talks
2016-2019 Mozambique
2014-present UN Syria negotiations
2012-2016 Colombia and FARC EP
2009 Zurich Protocols, Armenia and Turkey
2008-present OSCE/EU/UN, International Geneva discussions on Georgia
2008-2015 Talks leading to the Iran Nuclear Deal
2004 UN Cyprus talks
2003 Geneva Initiative
2002 Sudan Nuba Mountains cease-fire negotiations
1987 START negotiations USSR / US
1985 US and USSR
1973-1975 Phase two of the CSCE Helsinki Process
1973 Middle East Peace Conference
1954 Indochina
1871 Franco-Prussian War
Last modification 17.06.2024
