Swiss Federal Council: agreement further strengthens the ties between Interpeace and Geneva

BERN, 16-Jan-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — On 15 January 2018, an agreement conferring privileges and immunities on Interpeace in Switzerland was signed on behalf of the Federal Council by Ambassador Roberto Balzaretti, head of the Directorate of International Law of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and by Matthias Stiefel and Scott Weber in their respective capacities as acting chair and director-general of Interpeace.

In view of the importance of the tasks and the major role played by Interpeace in peacebuilding processes, the Federal Council decided on the basis of the Host State Act to afford the organisation special status by concluding an agreement on privileges and immunities. The substance of the agreement corresponds to other agreements the Federal Council has concluded with similar organisations.

Interpeace was founded in Geneva and is an independent and neutral organisation. It aims to strengthen the capacities of societies to manage conflict in non-violent, non-coercive ways and to assist the international community, in particular the United Nations, in supporting peacebuilding efforts around the world. Interpeace is one of the key global actors in this field that can bring together stakeholders from the international community, governments, civil society and local communities to meet security challenges and build lasting peace.

The organisation is currently active in around 20 countries around the world. As one of Switzerland’s strategic partners working in an important area of Swiss foreign policy, this agreement further strengthens the ties between Interpeace and Geneva.

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SOURCE: Swiss Federal Council