Swiss diplomat Schraner Burgener applies for UN post
Published: Saturday, Dec 14th 2024, 16:30
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Swiss diplomat and State Secretary Christine Schraner Burgener wants to become High Commissioner for Refugees at the UN. Switzerland supports the 61-year-old's candidacy, as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs informed the Keystone-SDA news agency on Saturday. Several media outlets had previously reported.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plays a central role in international refugee policy. The High Commissioner is also the largest UN organization in Geneva. The post will become vacant because the current incumbent, Italian Filippo Grandi, will step down at the end of 2025.
According to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the UNHCR is an important partner for Switzerland in the implementation of its foreign policy. Switzerland informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the candidacy at the beginning of December.
The new High Commissioner for Refugees is to be elected at the end of 2025. Niels Annen is also known to be a candidate from Germany.
Schraner Burgener has been Swiss State Secretary for Migration since 2022. She is leaving the job at the end of the year after three years at her own request. She will move to the FDFA in January 2025.
Under her leadership, the number of enforced removals was increased and the prevention of violence in the federal asylum centers was improved. During her time in office, Switzerland dealt with the largest movement of refugees since the Second World War. As a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Switzerland had to register and take in more than 100,000 people from Ukraine. At the same time, the country was confronted with a high number of new asylum applications.
Schraner Burgener is also an experienced diplomat. She has served as UN Special Envoy to Myanmar and Swiss Ambassador to Thailand and Germany.
©Keystone/SDA
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