An aerial view of the international district in Geneva, with the European headquarters of the United Nations in the centre
KEYSTONE/ VALENTIN FLAURAUD
The number of staff working for the United Nations, international organisations, non-governmental agencies and diplomatic missions in Geneva has risen to over 33,000, according to new figures.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Born in London, Simon is a multimedia journalist who has worked for www.swissinfo.ch since 2006. He speaks French, German and Spanish and focuses on science, technology and innovation issues.
The Geneva cantonal statistics officeExternal link reported on Thursday that 25,972 people were working for 34 international organisations in the western Swiss city in March 2018 (+2.7% compared to 2017), including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Geneva is also home to the UN’s European headquarters which employs around 9,500.
The statistics office said the number of permanent international civil servants had fallen slightly by 0.6%, while non-permanent contracts had risen by 11.7%. The latter now represent 30% of all contracts.
In addition, 4,211 people work for permanent diplomatic missions or consulates in Geneva accredited to the UN or to other international organisations.
The number of NGOs based the city has also increased. According to the canton’s International Geneva welcome service (CAGI), 399 were registered this year, employing 2,878 people. Of these, 192 NGOs employed at least one person. Almost two-thirds employed less than ten people, mostly in the humanitarian, human rights, migration, law, employment, economics, trade, science and telecommunications fields. The status of the 207 other NGOs was unclear.
Last year, the amount of money spent or invested by the Geneva-based international organisations and NGOs hit a record CHF6.2 million ($6.22 billion), up 3.6% compared to 2016. Over half of this amount – including salaries and insurance and pension payments – was spent or invested in Switzerland.
The statistics office said there had been 3,364 international conferences and meetings held in the city last year – a record – up almost 19% compared to the previous year. In all, 221,166 people participated.
The local authorities boast that there are “more protocol receptions in Geneva than in New York and more international conferences than in any city in the world”. Last year, Geneva welcomed around 4,700 international VIPs, including 97 heads of state, 44 prime ministers, over 2,000 ministers and nearly 700 royal family members.
More
More
VIPs get red carpet welcome in Geneva
This content was published on
Geneva boasts more protocol receptions and international conferences than any other city in the world.
Switzerland condemned for deciding to deport gay Iranian
This content was published on
Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
This content was published on
A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
This content was published on
The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
This content was published on
A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
This content was published on
In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
This content was published on
Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Swiss healthcare stakeholders want to save CHF300 million
This content was published on
The main players in the Swiss healthcare sector want to save around CHF300 million ($340 million) in healthcare costs a year from 2026.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
How well do you know International Geneva?
This content was published on
Have you been following recent developments in International Geneva? Take our multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge.
This content was published on
The international district in Geneva is undergoing huge changes as part of the long-term “Jardin des Nations” cantonal development project. In all, over CHF2 billion ($2 billion) is being invested in new buildings and major renovations, as well as local transport. A considerable chunk of the finance consists of federal and cantonal loans. Here are…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.