News

On 9 September 2026, Lausanne hosted a high-level meeting dedicated to the role of sport in diplomacy and peace. Representatives from politics, sports and science from the Sahel region and West Africa discussed how sport can build trust, maintain dialogue and create opportunities for engagement when political relations are strained. Following the round table, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis met with high-ranking representatives of the authorities of the Confederation of Sahel States and Senegal.

The Federal Council has banned the purchase and import of gold originating in Sudan. The sale to Sudan of certain goods used in gold mining and gold extraction is also prohibited. In so doing, the Federal Council is aligning itself with the EU’s equivalent sanctions. The measures will come into force on 10 September.

The Federal Council wants to improve access to high-speed internet in sparsely populated areas. To this end, it adopted the dispatch to Parliament on the Broadband Promotion Act at its meeting on 9 September 2026. The Act provides for a temporary funding programme to support the roll-out of broadband networks using fibre optic or wireless technology.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will represent Switzerland at the opening of the UN General Assembly from 20 to 23 September 2026. This 81st session (from 8 September 2026 to 7 September 2027) will focus on restoring confidence in multilateral institutions and the necessary transformation of the UN. The successor to António Guterres as head of the UN Secretariat will also be a key issue at the 81st session.

The Swiss Confederation issued two bonds by auction on 09.09.2026: 0.875%, maturity 24.06.2041 (reopening) and 0.5%, maturity 30.05.2058 (reopening). The issuance volume (excluding own holdings) amounts to a total of 368.630 million francs.

Patents relating to plant breeding are to be disclosed in future. This will give breeders greater certainty in their breeding of new varieties. On 9 September 2026, the Federal Council acknowledged the results of the consultation and adopted the dispatch on the revision of the Patents Act for submission to Parliament.

Scientists from Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have used an electric field to reverse the handedness of atomic vibrations known as chiral phonons. Chiral phonons link magnetism with atomic motion. The ability to control them opens new possibilities for phonon-based information technologies.

Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present credentials

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, and the mayor of Bern, Marieke Kruit, today presented the winning proposal for the creation of the place of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism in Bern. The winning design, entitled ‘unfolded minute’, which combines an artistic approach with an information element, will be installed on the terrace of the Casino by the end of 2027.

Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the presentation of the project for a Swiss Memorial to the Victims of National Socialism: a place of remembrance in the city of Bern. Check against delivery.

Switzerland is enhancing its international cooperation in the defence area – armasuisse takes part in the research project “Fuel Cells for Soldier Systems II” (FUSS II) of the European Defence Agency (EDA). On 3 September 2026, all parties involved signed the project agreement. The project will develop portable fuel cells for use by members of the armed forces and other mobile applications. Switzerland is thus strengthening its European cooperation in research and technology.

A similar trend was observed in market sector activities across the Swiss economy in the 2nd quarter 2026: turnover rose by 5.3% compared with the same quarter of the previous year and employment in these same market sector activities rose by 2.0% (total employment +2.0%).