The number of staff working for the United Nations, international organisations, non-governmental agencies and diplomatic missions in Geneva has risen to over 33,000, according to new figures.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Born in London, Simon is a multimedia journalist who has worked for www.swissinfo.ch since 2006. He speaks French, German and Spanish and focuses on science, technology and innovation issues.
The Geneva cantonal statistics officeExternal link reported on Thursday that 25,972 people were working for 34 international organisations in the western Swiss city in March 2018 (+2.7% compared to 2017), including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Geneva is also home to the UN’s European headquarters which employs around 9,500.
The statistics office said the number of permanent international civil servants had fallen slightly by 0.6%, while non-permanent contracts had risen by 11.7%. The latter now represent 30% of all contracts.
In addition, 4,211 people work for permanent diplomatic missions or consulates in Geneva accredited to the UN or to other international organisations.
The number of NGOs based the city has also increased. According to the canton’s International Geneva welcome service (CAGI), 399 were registered this year, employing 2,878 people. Of these, 192 NGOs employed at least one person. Almost two-thirds employed less than ten people, mostly in the humanitarian, human rights, migration, law, employment, economics, trade, science and telecommunications fields. The status of the 207 other NGOs was unclear.
Last year, the amount of money spent or invested by the Geneva-based international organisations and NGOs hit a record CHF6.2 million ($6.22 billion), up 3.6% compared to 2016. Over half of this amount – including salaries and insurance and pension payments – was spent or invested in Switzerland.
The statistics office said there had been 3,364 international conferences and meetings held in the city last year – a record – up almost 19% compared to the previous year. In all, 221,166 people participated.
The local authorities boast that there are “more protocol receptions in Geneva than in New York and more international conferences than in any city in the world”. Last year, Geneva welcomed around 4,700 international VIPs, including 97 heads of state, 44 prime ministers, over 2,000 ministers and nearly 700 royal family members.
More
More
VIPs get red carpet welcome in Geneva
This content was published on
Geneva boasts more protocol receptions and international conferences than any other city in the world.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
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
How well do you know International Geneva?
This content was published on
Have you been following recent developments in International Geneva? Take our multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge.
This content was published on
The international district in Geneva is undergoing huge changes as part of the long-term “Jardin des Nations” cantonal development project. In all, over CHF2 billion ($2 billion) is being invested in new buildings and major renovations, as well as local transport. A considerable chunk of the finance consists of federal and cantonal loans. Here are…
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.