02/19/2026, 08:2602/19/2026, 08:26
Switzerland will take part in the inaugural meeting of the “Peace Council” set up by US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday as an observer. The authorities particularly want to support reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The question of membership has not yet been clarified, as the Foreign Ministry said.
Switzerland will be represented by Monika Dirt Kirgöz, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA), and by Ralf Heckner, Swiss Ambassador in Washington, the FDFA told Keystone-SDA. The question of Switzerland’s possible formal accession to the Board of Peace will be examined by the Federal Council at a later date.
Monika Dirt Kirgöz, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA).Image: KEYSTONE
The first meeting of the “Peace Council” will focus in particular on the situation in the Gaza Strip and its reconstruction. With its participation, Switzerland reaffirms its support for the United States’ Gaza peace plan and for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, which supports the “overall plan to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip” presented by the United States, according to the FDFA.
Ralf Heckner, Swiss ambassador in Washington with former US President Joe Biden.picture: white house
The department intends to “strengthen contacts with decision-makers in the US government and other actors on Middle East issues.” It believes that this presence allows Switzerland to be positioned in its traditional role as a mediator and peacemaker.
The European Union is holding back
The European Union announced on Monday that it would take part in this inaugural meeting, but without joining the organization. In particular, it questions their governance and compatibility with the Charter of the United Nations.
The “Peace Council,” which was officially launched in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is headed by Trump. Countries wishing to participate as permanent members must pay an entry fee of one billion dollars.
According to Trump’s plan, the “Peace Council” should set up an international stabilization force (ISF) to ensure order in the Gaza Strip. Trump also wants to present a billion-dollar package of humanitarian and reconstruction aid for the Gaza Strip. The council was created to end the war in Gaza, but its charter sets out a much broader goal of resolving armed conflicts worldwide. (sda)