Addressing the United Nations general assembly in New York, Parmelin said the Covid pandemic had entrenched protectionist policies and laid open the vulnerability of global production and delivery chains.
He appealed for anti-Covid vaccinations to be made available to everybody and highlighted Switzerland’s contribution to the international Covax initiative.
Parmelin also called for better access to education for women and children around the world and stressed the contribution of science in order to be prepared for future challenges.
Common solutions
His speech on Tuesday struck an unusually personal note, as he referred to his background as a winegrower.
“When hail or frost strikes, Swiss winegrowers help each other, and they call on the insurance funds which they have paid into. When a crisis affects entire regions, or even the planet, solidarity must be global and solutions common,” he said.
Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis are present in New York. The two-week high-level meeting is being attended by more than 100 heads of state or government.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
This content was published on
TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
This content was published on
The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
This content was published on
China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
This content was published on
The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
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
Giant Swiss artwork ‘unveiled’ at the United Nations
This content was published on
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis inaugurated on Saturday an 11,000 square metre fresco by Franco-Swiss artist Saype at the UN in New York.
Swiss president highlights digital responsibility in New York
This content was published on
Speaking in front of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Ueli Maurer described the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions as “compasses of values” in the digital age.
This content was published on
Images of the Swiss president sitting on the ground in New York have sparked a conversation on social media. For the Swiss, it’s business-as-usual.
This content was published on
Multilateralism is in crisis, but remains important for Switzerland, foreign minister Ignazio Cassis has told the press in New York.
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.