Geneva as an asset
Dear reader,
Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US, nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran – there’s a lot going on in Geneva this week. Many in Bern are also pleased about this, especially because International Geneva has recently come under pressure as a location.
Geneva has always moved with the times: an early pivot to Protestantism (1536) not only earned the city the nickname “Protestant Rome” but also laid the foundations for its prosperity – thanks to the influx of hard-working immigrants. The founding of the Red Cross (1863) catapulted it onto the international stage, while the establishment of the League of Nations (1920) and the UN (1946) finally made it International Geneva. (The US also played a role in this.)
While the UN headquarters in New York is where the high politics are done, Geneva is the multilateral engine room that is constantly running. For Switzerland, International Geneva is an essential element of the country’s diplomacy: it enables the building of valuable contacts, and it can also create goodwill.
But these are difficult times for Geneva. The multilateral system is eroding, and Geneva is feeling the effects. The city, canton and federal government are trying to plug the financial holes.
In addition, others are seizing the opportunity: UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs are being courted by other cities and states. In times of shrinking budgets, a move can be tempting, especially as Geneva is an expensive city in an expensive country.
Swissinfo has its own office in the Palais des Nations, and my colleagues report directly from the UN universe. Unfortunately, in times of increasingly tight budgets, fewer and fewer media are doing this. This is also a sign of the declining importance of multilateralism.
Is there anything that particularly interests you about International Geneva? Do you have a story or idea for a report that you would like to share with us? Or have you even been affected by the changes in Geneva yourself? Write to me at giannis.mavris@swissinfo.ch
Best regards,
Giannis Mavris
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