Switzerland to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development
Berne, 15.10.2025 — Switzerland will take part in the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha from 4 to 6 November. The aim of this summit organised by the United Nations is to renew the international community’s commitments in the field of social development and to give fresh impetus to efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda. On 15 October, the Federal Council appointed a delegation comprising various stakeholders, which will be headed by SECO Director, State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda.
The Second World Summit for Social Development provides an opportunity, 30 years after the adoption of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, where the first World Summit took place in 1995, to define an updated roadmap for joint international action in the field of social development. This roadmap will set the path for the international community and provide the necessary guidelines for implementing the social dimension of sustainable development until the end of the 2030 Agenda and beyond.
In view of the inadequate and uneven implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, the UN member states have renewed their commitments in a political declaration to be formally adopted at the opening session of the summit. The declaration reaffirms the three core elements of social development already identified in Copenhagen: the eradication of poverty, full and productive employment, decent work for all, as well as the promotion of full participation in society. Other cross-cutting issues covered by the declaration include gender equality, health, education and training, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and new technologies. Switzerland actively participated in the negotiations that led to this joint declaration in recent months.
A delegation with various stakeholders
The Swiss delegation is made up of representatives from the EAER (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), the FDHA (Federal Social Insurance Office) and the FDFA (Swiss Embassy in Qatar). To reflect the inclusive participation of various stakeholders the trade unions, employers' organisations and civil society are also represented.