Has Switzerland compromised its neutrality to obtain a place among the great powers? This question sparked numerous debates in 2022, when the United Nations General Assembly elected her to sit on the Security Council. Two years later, this mandate, completed at the end of 2024, seems to have ended in relative indifference in Bern, far from the controversies which marked its beginning.
The United Nations (UN), its complex procedures and its global issues, can sometimes seem distant from Swiss concerns. This perception has gradually fueled a disinterest in the action, speeches and votes of the Swiss delegation to the Security Council over the past two years.
Two moments nevertheless marked this mandate. First, Switzerland’s abstention in a 2023 vote on recognizing a Palestinian state, a decision that has drawn criticism from non-governmental organizations in Switzerland and abroad. Second, Russia’s repeated reproaches, accusing Switzerland of having abandoned its neutrality in the context of the war in Ukraine.
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Fears of the SVP
These criticisms of Russia have reinforced the fears of the UDC, which believes that the sanctions taken after the attack on Ukraine have weakened Swiss neutrality. The country’s largest party, however, asserted that Switzerland would further lose its neutrality and credibility by sitting on the Security Council. However, at the end of these two years, Swiss diplomacy ultimately did not commit any major error that would have tarnished its international reputation.
The opposite is also true: Switzerland has not achieved any particular feat that would have strengthened its overall influence. As usual, Switzerland focused on issues related to humanitarian law, an area in which it is historically recognized. This positioning, cautious but consistent, has in any case allowed the Federal Council to minimize criticism on the domestic policy front.
Successes but also failures
Switzerland’s mandate on the Security Council was also marked by some notable successes, notably the adoption of a resolution in May strengthening the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel in conflicts. She also highlighted the links between international security and climate change, and supported parity. Finally, she restored the image of a “disconnected” Council by organizing its trip to South Sudan or Colombia.
However, Switzerland also encountered difficulties with its “scientific diplomacy” proposal, considered too abstract by other diplomats. Bern also surprised the Arab countries by abstaining on the accession of Palestine as a full member of the UN, without however being openly criticized for not having resumed its financing to UNRWA, the responsibility being attributed mainly in Washington.
Radio topics: Etienne Kocher and Carrie Nooten
Web text: hkr
Swiss
