Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations office was established in 2002, after Switzerland joined the UN. It is located at the 633 Third Avenue in New York. Its current representative is Pascale Baeriswyl who also takes a seat in the Security Council of the United Nations.

History

Switzerland held an observer status in several of the UN organs since 1948, but did not join the UN over neutrality concerns and was a full member only to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. In March 2002, the people of Switzerland voted to join the United Nations (UN) and became a member of the UN in September the same year. Since, an ambassador represents Switzerland before the UN.

Representatives

Neutrality kept being an issue but according to the first ambassador Jenö Staehelin, Switzerlands role as a neutral country was accepted by fellow member states. Peter Maurer succeeded Staehelin in 2004, and served as the head of the budget commission of the General Assembly for the term 2009–2010. Switzerland aimed to assist the United Nations to evolve into a more democratic body or to strengthen the ICC. In terms of transparency, its third representative Paul Seger equated the election of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the election of the Pope.

Seat in the Security Council of the United Nations

In 2011, the Federal Council decided to campaign for a seat in the Security Council of the United Nations for the term 2023–2024. Its campaign slogan was "A plus for Peace". In 2020 Jenö Staehelin voiced concern of the Federal Councils goal to aim for a seat in the Security Council of the United Nations. Recalling Switzerland's tradition of neutrality, he assumed the superpowers would eventually exert too much pressure Switzerland would be able to withstand. In March 2022, the Swiss People's Party entered a motion to withdraw the candidacy. The Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis recalled that to withdraw from a decision taken eleven years ago was not an option for the Federal Council and the motion did not succeed. Switzerland and Malta were the only two eligible countries and it was assumed the election was a formality. In June 2022 Switzerland was elected with 187 votes.

Representatives