News

On 21 November 2025, Switzerland and Cyprus signed a framework agreement in Nicosia on the implementation of a bilateral migration cooperation programme. The agreement forms part of Switzerland's second contribution to selected EU member states. A budget of CHF 10 million has been allocated to support projects in the areas of accommodation, voluntary return and integration.

Fifteen recruits completed training as First-Person View drone pilots, in order to be subsequently deployed with the troops in a field experiment. In this context, they used their skills to support the development of operational procedures for attack drones. The training in Thun and the following field experiment in Bure further developed the skills of the Swiss Armed Forces in the area of drones und took place within the context of the Taskforce Drones with the participation of the Swiss Armed Forces, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse as well as with external partners.

A new preliminary report (railways) is available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board STSB.

The health insurance premium index (KVPI) has registered an increase of 4.2% for premiums in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching an index level of 222.9 points (base year 1999=100). The KVPI can be used to estimate the effects of the evolution of premiums on the growth of disposable income. According to the Federal Statistical Office's KVPI model calculation, rising premiums curbed the growth of the average disposable income by 0.3 percentage points in 2025.

The head of the FDFA, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, was in Kigali on Thursday 20 November to attend the 46th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference. He also met with the Rwandan Prime Minister, Justin Nsengiyumva , Paul Kagame, and the foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe. During his visit, Mr Cassis presided over a ceremony to inaugurate the new Swiss embassy in Rwanda – a symbol of the strengthening of ties between the two countries. His visit to the region will continue on 21 November in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the occasion of the inauguration of the Swiss Embassy in the capital of Rwanda, Kigali – Check against delivery

The Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse has decided to issue the award for minidrone defence systems. After a four-week evaluation test (field experiment) for detecting and defending against minidrones to protect military infrastructures at the Meiringen aerodrome, armasuisse awarded the Swiss supplier Securiton the contract to deliver several defence systems. The systems are designed as partially mobile and can thus also be used in subsidiary operations of the Swiss Armed Forces for civil authorities.

How did wage levels differ by economic sector, groups of employees and region in 2024? What changes have there been between the highest and the lowest wages in recent years? What differences were observed between the wages of Swiss and foreign workers (residence permit holders)?

In 2024, 19% of students in higher education in Switzerland had undertaken a temporary study period, work placement or other mobility experience in another country since starting their studies, seven percentage points lower than in 2020 (26%). When surveyed for the first time about their experiences of discrimination, 25% of students said they felt discriminated against in their studies on various grounds such as gender, nationality or language. Many more findings are presented in the main report of the 2024 Survey on the Social and Economic Situation of Students, conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

On 20 and 21 November, Federal Councillor Albert Rösti will represent Switzerland at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. At the conference, Switzerland will advocate for all states, especially those with high greenhouse gas emissions, to submit ambitious reduction targets aimed at implementing the Paris Agreement.

In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, the Federal Council decided at its meeting on 19 November 2025 to request an urgent supplementary credit of CHF 50 million from Parliament to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Sudan and the surrounding region. Food, drinking water and medicines are needed for the people of Sudan, whose situation has deteriorated further since the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured the town of El Fasher. The conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF has led to what is currently the worst humanitarian disaster in the world. Switzerland has provided humanitarian aid totalling CHF 140 million since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023.

Digital crime in Switzerland has more than doubled in recent years. In response to Postulate 22.3457, which was submitted by National Council member Stefan Müller-Altermatt, the Federal Council examined the coordination between the relevant authorities, the police and the domain registry operators with regard to tackling scam websites. This assessment was carried out as part of a report on deactivating scam websites and coordinating the national response to online scams. Approved by the Federal Council at its 19 November meeting, the report concludes that, although the existing legal instruments are fundamentally effective, they must be applied more consistently.