Abdelhafidh Abdeleli

Expertise: Education, migration, refugee issues, and Islam in Switzerland. Initials: AA

Abdelhafidh began working for swissinfo.ch in 2008. Over the years, he has done features and reports on various topics invoving life in Switzerland, particularly immigrant and refugee issues, education at different levels, tourism, and Islam in Switzerland.

Arabic Department

The "Broken Chair" sculpture after was restored for the delight of tourists on the Place des Nations in front of the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday 08 august 2024. The "Broken Chair" sculpture, by Swiss artist Daniel Berset, is a symbol for victims of the anti-person mines created in 1997 for Handicap International. (KEYSTONE/Martial Trezzini)

Key facts and figures on International Geneva

This content was published on Oct 15, 2024 In the last decade, the number of multinationals in Geneva has doubled, while the number of NGOs has also increased considerably.

Syrian refugee with missing wife picture on phone

Looking for missing people in Syria: can a new UN body help?

This content was published on Sep 14, 2023 Geneva may soon get another United Nations institution, after the General Assembly voted on June 29 to create a body on missing people in Syria.

Switzerland drops the Geneva Initiative. But what’s the alternative?

This content was published on Aug 4, 2023 Switzerland has turned the page on the Geneva Initiative, 20 years after its launch. The time has come to adopt a different approach, the Swiss say.

A Chinese military police unit patrols the streets of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang province.

Why Arab and African countries stand with China at the UN

This content was published on Oct 11, 2022 Arab and African countries refuse to condemn China for its repression of the Muslim Uyghur minority.

Nabil Alosaidi: Press freedom in Yemen has been sentenced to death

This content was published on Oct 30, 2021 The latest in our Global Voices of Freedom series: a Yemeni journalist fights for press freedom in his war-torn country.

WHO prepares for fundamental Covid-induced reforms

This content was published on May 21, 2021 How to reform the WHO will be on the agenda of the World Health Assembly, which is meeting in Geneva.

The United Nations in Geneva – before and during the pandemic

This content was published on Feb 18, 2021 Since March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the European headquarters of the UN and international agencies in Geneva to remain almost empty.

Digital diplomacy in the era of Covid-19

This content was published on Feb 18, 2021 One year on, how effective has online diplomacy actually been during the pandemic?

Geneva’s international ‘do good’ citizens

This content was published on Jan 17, 2021 Geneva is home to a large network of local and international civil society organisations. Here are some of the people behind them.

Geneva has become an incubation hub for citizen initiatives

This content was published on Jan 17, 2021 Innovative individual initiatives are sprouting up in Geneva to tackle the new challenges the city – and the world – are facing.

How Switzerland and France approach ‘Islamic separatism’

This content was published on Oct 19, 2020 Could a controversial French action plan to tackle “parallel societies” within the Muslim community resonate in neighbouring Switzerland?

Switzerland’s controversial minaret ban, ten years on

This content was published on Nov 29, 2019 A decade ago, a majority of Swiss voters backed a people’s initiative banning the building of minarets in the country. What has changed since?

Integration key for Geneva University imam course

This content was published on May 8, 2018 From ethics to Swiss law: What imams are learning about Switzerland.

A tangle of steel pipes and towers at a Qatari liquid gas plant

‘Business as usual for Qatar’, says ambassador to Bern

This content was published on Jul 6, 2017 Qatar has been subject to an economic and political blockade by its Middle East neighbours for a month, and the situation looks set to drag on.

Religious recognition in Switzerland—a cantonal affair

This content was published on Apr 26, 2017 A multicultural society is often a multi-religious one. How can Switzerland best manage its growing diversity and the frictions which can arise?

Imam: 99% of radicalisation happens outside mosques

This content was published on Feb 1, 2017 Two-thirds of the Swiss refuse to recognise Islam as an official religion, requiring Muslims in Switzerland to make a greater effort to integrate.