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.
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?
Milei orders Argentina’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization
This content was published on
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has announced plans to pull the country out of the Geneva-headquartered World Health Organization (WHO).
‘Europe’ initiative halts signature collection to focus on Swiss-EU treaty
This content was published on
The initiative sought to embed Swiss-EU relations in the Federal Constitution, but the organisers have now stopped signature collection.
Swiss study sheds light on link between obesity and metabolic diseases
This content was published on
ETH Zurich researchers collected cells from overweight individuals to identify biological markers that raise the risk of metabolic diseases.
Swiss retail sector sees slight decline despite strong online sales
This content was published on
Black Friday, which performed well in some areas of Switzerland, and Christmas sales could not make up for the losses of previous months.
Over 6,000 Swiss companies go bankrupt but start-ups see growth
This content was published on
Switzerland recorded a spike in bankruptcies last year, but there was also a rise in new start-ups. Trends varied significantly by region and sector.
Basel greenlights funding for Eurovision Village 2025
This content was published on
MCH Group Ltd. is set to receive CHF1 million ($1.1 million) for the Eurovision Village at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
Geneva researchers discover potential for targeted cancer drug delivery
This content was published on
Researchers in Geneva have discovered how some bacteria inject dangerous enzymes into cells, potentially enabling targeted drug delivery to cancer cells.
Macron denies involvement in Nestlé Waters scandal
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron denied any “agreement” or “collusion” with the Swiss company Nestlé over the bottled water scandal on Tuesday.
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.