Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has officially declared Switzerland’s candidacy to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2026.
The announcement was made during a discussion with Malta’s Foreign Minister Ian Borg, as Malta currently holds the OSCE chairmanship.
The Swiss Federal Council emphasized the importance of dialogue and cooperation in addressing the OSCE’s current challenges, particularly those arising from the war in Ukraine, which have constrained the organization’s ability to act under its consensus-based framework.
“Switzerland’s candidacy highlights the belief that dialogue and cooperation with all participating states are the only paths to peaceful and lasting resolutions to wars, crises, and conflicts,” stated the Federal Council.
The decision on Switzerland’s chairmanship will be determined by OSCE member states by the end of the year. Finland is set to chair the OSCE in 2025.
