Switzerland's participation in the UN resettlement programme focuses on victims from the conflicts in the Middle East.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The government has decided to welcome up to 1,600 refugees over two years as part of an international resettlement programme.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
This figure for 2022/2023 is unchanged from the quota for the current period. However, the government said it will take in up to 300 additional refugees who could not be included in a previous programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Switzerland will focus on victims of ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East and from the central Mediterranean region, as well as people fleeing persecution.
For practical reasons, the Swiss programme will be limited to refugees from a maximum of five countries, the State Secretariat for Migration said on Wednesday.
The secretariat added that Switzerland’s participation in the resettlement programme under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been an integral part of the country’s refugee policy for several decades.
However, it called on Switzerland to increase its contingent in the near future given the demand for more resettlement places worldwide and the limited asylum requests in Switzerland.
Popular Stories
More
Banking & Fintech
UBS releases ‘hundreds’ of staff in fresh wave of job cuts
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
This content was published on
The parents of the young jihadist who left for Syria to join the Islamic State have been given suspended sentences by the Federal Criminal Court.
This content was published on
Felix Lehner, Pamela Rosenkranz and Miroslav Sik have been awarded the Swiss Grand Award for Art/Prix Meret Oppenheim 2025.
Nearly 2% of new Swiss disability insurance claims involve Long Covid
This content was published on
Just under 2% of new claims submitted to the disability insurance between 2021 and 2023 concern people suffering from Long Covid.
This content was published on
The watch industry had to contend with a weakening of its exports last year, which reached a volume of CHF25.9 billion ($28.5 billion).
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
Switzerland urged to take in more vulnerable refugees
This content was published on
The Swiss Refugee Council is urging the government to increase its annual contingent of 800 vulnerable refugees to be resettled in the next two years.
Landmark forum seeks ‘better answers’ to refugee response
This content was published on
The first-ever “Global Refugee Forum” opens in Geneva on Monday to identify practical solutions to improve the lives of refugees and host communities.
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.