Baghdad seeks to maintain stability after years of conflict and aims to position itself as a mediator in the Middle East. The Swiss Federal Councillor discussed knowledge transfer.
Swiss Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis speaks to a group of Swiss business representatives and embassy partners at Al-Wattar House, Baghdad, Iraq.
The Federal Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, at a reception with Swiss business representatives and embassy partners at Al-Wattar House in Baghdad, Iraq, on 23 October 2025.
EPA
Swiss mediation expertise has caught the interest of Baghdad, which wishes to position itself as a mediator in the Middle East. Ignazio Cassis raised the topic of knowledge transfer with his Iraqi counterparts during the second stage of his tour of the Near and Middle East.
The Foreign Minister discussed this matter with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Thursday in Baghdad. Iraq is particularly interested in Bern’s experience representing American diplomatic interests in Iran, Cassis told Keystone-ATS.
“The Swiss government has an interest in transferring its expertise to this increasingly important region, where it can no longer manage its mediation efforts alone,” the Federal Councillor said.
Iraq, keen to maintain stability after many years of conflict, seeks to establish itself as a mediator, particularly working to ease tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Cassis’s visit is part of a broader effort to strengthen the Swiss presence in Iraq, a process that has been underway in recent years.
Source:
24heures.ch – “Ignazio Cassis: L’Irak veut apprendre des bons offices suisses”
