OSCE conference in Bern: from Geneva to Helsinki (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis spoke in Bern on 3 September 2026.
• Focus on the ability to cooperate diplomatically despite disagreements.
• The OSCE remains a key place for managing risks and transparency.
• All 57 states approved the 2026 budget after years of stalemate.

Key facts

• What: High-level OSCE conference
• When: 3 September 2026
• Where: Bern
• Who: Ignazio Cassis, Federal Council, Dodis research center
• States involved: 57 OSCE members

On 3 September 2026, at the Bern headquarters, Federal Councillor and acting President of the OSCE, Ignazio Cassis, delivered a significant speech during the high-level session co-organized with the Dodis research center. The intervention focused on the historical and future role of the organization, emphasizing the need to keep communication channels open even in periods of deep diplomatic crisis. The reflection started from the legacy of the Helsinki Final Act, reinterpreted not as a model to be mechanically replicated, but as a lesson in method: cooperation between states does not necessarily require friendship, but the constant will to dialogue. ### Swiss neutrality and foreign policy

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Operational details

Analysis of institutional functioning

The most concrete aspect that emerged from the Berne conference concerns the overcoming of a prolonged political stalemate, culminating in the approval of the 2026 budget by all 57 participating States. This result, while not resolving the underlying differences, demonstrates that the capacity for institutional cooperation has not diminished. For Switzerland, this dynamic confirms the validity of a diplomatic line focused on the resilience of international organizations. At a time when security in Europe appears fragile, the preservation of the OSCE represents a commitment to long-term stability. The Federal Councillor clarified that the organisation does not claim to impose peace, but to act as a place where risks can be reduced and transparency increased.

Future cooperation scenarios

The challenge for the future, according to Cassis, lies in answering an operational question: how to organize security between States that do not have mutual trust? The Swiss response does not involve shortcuts or nostalgia for the past, but a methodical preparation for when new windows of diplomatic opportunity will open. Compared to past years, the Swiss strategy focuses on strengthening what works and reforming what is obsolete, a process carried out in collaboration with Secretary-General Sinirlioğlu.

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Key points

The operational management of Swiss diplomacy

The management of international relations requires constant monitoring of the activities of the institutions in which Switzerland is involved. Although the OSCE conferences operate on a diplomatic level that goes beyond daily fiscal or work issues, the commitment made by Bern reflects the national will to maintain an active presence in the bodies that define European security. For the citizen or worker who wishes to understand the course of Swiss foreign policy, monitoring the speeches of the Federal Council represents the primary tool. Switzerland's participation in such forums is not an isolated event, but part of a continuous commitment that requires resources and a dedicated administrative structure. Collaboration with research centers such as Dodis also allows for contextualizing current decisions, providing a historical basis necessary to evaluate present choices.

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