Federal Council concludes agreement with Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue on privileges and immunities
Bern, 03.07.2015 - On 3 July 2015, the head of the Directorate of International Law in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Valentin Zellweger, signed an agreement on behalf of the Federal Council on the privileges and immunities of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Executive Director David Harland signed the agreement for the Centre.
In view of the important tasks of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and its major role in the mediation of armed conflicts, the Federal Council decided on the basis of the Host State Act to afford the centre special status by concluding an agreement on privileges and immunities. The substance of this agreement is similar in scope to those concluded previously by the Federal Council with other similar organisations, and in light of the Centre's specific tasks provides for the immunity of the Centre's documentation and archives.
Founded in Geneva on the principles of humanity, impartiality and independence, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue aims to help prevent, mitigate, and resolve armed conflict through dialogue and mediation. It provides support to the main parties to a conflict to find appropriate solutions for a particular context, be it war, popular uprising, contested election or violent political transition.
The Centre is active today through over 20 initiatives around the world. The mediation and good offices carried out by the Centre are becoming ever more important in increasingly complex contexts. The Centre works in an important area for Switzerland's foreign policy and the signing of the agreement strengthens its ties with Geneva.
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