New York, 24 September 2022 (TDI): Deputy Minister of Turkiye, Ambassador Sedat Önal met the Swiss State Secretary, Livia Leu to discuss regional and international issues.
The meeting happened on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
On the margins of #UNGA77 Deputy Minister Ambassador Sedat Önal and @SwissMFAStatSec Livia Leu discussed regional and international developments of mutual concern. 🇹🇷🇨🇭 pic.twitter.com/OmlKHOEIjl
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) September 23, 2022
In the meeting, the officials from both countries discussed regional and international developments of mutual concern.
77th Session of UNGA
The 77the sessions of the UNGA opened on 13 September under the theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.”
The theme stems from the recognition that the world is at a critical moment in the history of the UN due to complex and interconnected crises.
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That includes the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, humanitarian challenges of unprecedented nature, a tipping point in climate change as well as growing concerns about threats to the Global Economy.
The heads of the states from around the world attended the esteemed session where they presented issues concerning regional and international spheres of influence.
Swiss-Türkiye Relations
The Swiss-Türkiye bilateral relations are based on economic cooperation, education, and research and security.
Switzerland and Türkiye began to develop relations in the 19th century and have since become increasingly close.
The countries exchanged high-level visits to each other. A milestone in bilateral relations was former President Pascal Couchepin’s visit to Türkiye in November 2008.
Two years later, in November 2010, President Abdullah Gül became the first Turkish President to pay an official visit to Switzerland.
These contacts on the highest level allowed the parties to assess all aspects of bilateral relations. In 2019 the volume of trade amounted to about CHF 5 billion, making Türkiye Switzerland’s 20th most important trading partner.
The volume of Swiss investment in Türkiye in 2018 totaled CHF 2.3 billion and created about 16,000 jobs in Türkiye, making Switzerland the country’s 8th largest international investor.
Moreover, almost 4 million refugees, mainly from Syria, are currently living in Türkiye. To help manage the refugee crisis, Switzerland provides about CHF 2.5 million each year.
This aid is meant to support various migration-related projects in the region, with a particular focus on Türkiye and Lebanon. The two countries maintain a regular high-level political dialogue and extensive business and trade links.
