View of Davos with congress centre during sunset prior the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Friday, January 3, 2025. The meeting brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, corporate and political leaders in Davos under the topic "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" from 20 to 24 January.

Switzerland Today

Generated with artificial intelligence.

Listening: Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

The upcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos is putting Switzerland into event mode – at least for the Swiss federal government and the big names in business.

Today, WEF organisers announced the arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky. Donald Trump, however, will only join via video link, though his presence is still expected to dominate discussions.

Best wishes from Bern.

This content was published on January 14, 2025 - 17:00

6 minutes

Switzerland has many faces, and each has many stories to tell. I am interested in the country in all its diversity. I write about agriculture and banks, diplomats and folk-style wrestlers, but also industrial excellence and cultural achievements.

Deutsch

Heute in der Schweiz Original
Français

Aujourd’hui en Suisse
Italiano

Oggi in Svizzera

Zelensky and von der Leyen to attend WEF; Swiss federal government sends six ministers

The World Economic Forum (WEF) kicks off next week in Davos, with the opening on January 20 coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President. Unsurprisingly, Trump’s presidency is expected to be a major topic, alongside discussions on the Middle East and artificial intelligence. While Trump will not attend in person, he is scheduled to deliver a video address on January 23.

Sixty heads of government will travel to the mountains of canton Graubünden for the event. Key attendees include EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is set to appear on Tuesday. In total, participants from 130 countries will gather in Davos.

According to Swiss public broadcaster SRF, six of the seven members of the Swiss government will attend, with only Environment Minister Albert Rösti opting to stay behind. High-level meetings are planned, including a confirmed meeting between Karin Keller-Sutter, Switzerland’s current president and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

The Keystone-SDA news agency report on WatsonExternal link (in German)

Childhood photos of Buttons are displayed along with a picture of her father, a WWII Air Force veteran, at left, and additional family photos, Monday, June 24, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. "My dad died thinking, 'I raised my daughter. I did my part,' but not knowing it put me on a path of instability and fear," she said. — Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Switzerland confronts its troubled history of international adoptions

Fourteen Swiss cantons are calling for Switzerland to address its history of international adoptions and provide support to those affected.

Research by our former colleague Sibilla Bondolfi highlights the history and challenges of such adoptions in Switzerland. Beginning in the 1960s, many Swiss couples adopted children from Asia, South America, Africa and Eastern Europe, often driven by a humanitarian desire to offer children from poorer regions a better future.

However, these adoptions were not always above board. Written consent from birth parents was frequently absent, and cases of child trafficking, falsified documents and incomplete records of origin came to light. Such irregularities undermined confidence in the adoption process. A study revealed evidence of illegal practices in origin countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, India, Colombia, Korea, Lebanon, Peru and Romania.

Switzerland was slow to ratify the 1993 Hague Convention on preventing illegal adoption, but efforts are now underway to process what happened over the decades. Fourteen cantons are collaborating to help adopted individuals trace their biological families.

The research by Swiss public broadcaster SRF and RTS (in GermanExternal link and FrenchExternal link)

EU member states have approved Switzerland’s participation in the European defence initiative "Military Mobility." The project aims to streamline military movements across European territories, with applications for cross-border transport set to be processed within days. — Keystone-SDA

Switzerland joins European defence project “Military Mobility”

European Union (EU) member states have approved Switzerland’s participation in the European defence initiative “Military Mobility”. The project aims to streamline military movements across European territories, with applications for cross-border transport set to be processed within days.

The Council of the European Union announced that Switzerland’s contribution would bring “considerable” added value. Alongside this project, Switzerland is also seeking to participate in the “Cyber Ranges Federation”, which aims to enhance cooperation in cyber defence. Both initiatives are part of the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (Pesco) programme, which the Swiss federal government decided to join in August 2024.

The Swiss media noted that the increased international orientation of the Swiss army has drawn criticism from the Swiss People’s Party, which recently called for Defence Minister Viola Amherd to resign.

In a related note, 12,500 recruits started their military training this week, including 50 Swiss nationals living abroad who travelled back to Switzerland to serve.

The report on Military Mobility on Swiss public television, SRFExternal link (in German)
Analysis of the Swiss People’s Party demands for Amherd’s resignation on WatsonExternal link (in German)

Swiss bakery in thailand — Swissbakery88

Thailand: a gateway for Swiss companies in Asia

Could Thailand become a springboard for Swiss businesses in Asia? A free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states and Thailand, set to be signed in January, could boost Swiss companies’ interest in the country as a hub for accessing Asian markets.

Thailand is positioning itself as a key industrial and logistics hub in the region.

The mechanical engineering and watchmaking industries have welcomed the agreement, while the pharmaceutical sector remains cautious. Switzerland exported goods worth CHF3.74 billion ($4.08 billion) to Thailand in 2023, and the deal is expected to improve competitiveness by gradually reducing customs duties, according to the Le Temps newspaper.

An Aargauer Zeitung article recounting the story of Swiss emigrant Ernst Höhn reflects the opportunities available. After being unable to find work in Switzerland at 55, Höhn moved to Hua Hin, where he successfully ran “Swiss Bakery 88” until his retirement.

Although he closed his business due to the lack of a successor, Höhn launched a smaller bakery specialising in Swiss treats like Basler Läckerli and “Chräbeli.” These remain a hit among both locals and expatriates.

The background report from Le TempsExternal link
The Swiss baker in Hua Hin in the Aargauer ZeitungExternal link

Picture of the day

The mountain village of Poschiavo in canton Graubünden has long struggled with young people leaving due to limited career prospects. However, the Swiss Heritage Society has awarded Poschiavo the Wakker Prize 2025, recognising its efforts to turn its remoteness into a unique selling point. Poschiavo is now seen as a model for other mountain regions, according to the Society’s press release.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva