NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

NATO values its relations with Switzerland, which the Allies view as an effective partner and contributor to international security. The Allies and Switzerland share key values, such as the promotion of international security, democracy, human rights, fundamental freedom and the rule of law. NATO and Switzerland select areas of practical cooperation that match their joint objectives.

An important area of cooperation is the country’s support for NATO-led operations. Switzerland continues to contribute to the peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. In the past, it has supported the NATO-led operations in Afghanistan and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Framework for cooperation

NATO and Switzerland detail areas of cooperation and associated timelines in the country’s Individual Partnership Programme (IPP), which is jointly agreed every year. Key areas include crisis-management and response operations; international efforts to promote regional stability, especially in south-eastern Europe; promotion of humanitarian law, transparency and democratic control of armed forces; training with other Partner countries; and the destruction of arms and demining efforts. Other important areas are disaster relief and promotion of interoperability.

The country also hosts about 20 regular courses within the PfP framework and develops training materials in areas such as democratic control of armed forces, international humanitarian law, humanitarian demining, civil-military cooperation, security policy, arms control and disarmament. Moreover,Switzerland has supported the development, use of and training for a web-based central management platform (ePRIME) for all EAPC/PfP activities.

Key areas of cooperation

Security cooperation

Cooperation between Switzerland and NATO deepened during the crises in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo. In late 1995, the Swiss opened their air space, rail and road networks to the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) that was responsible for implementing military aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In line and within the limits of its neutrality, Switzerland participates in peace-support operations or multilateral cooperation in military training. Swiss law excludes participation in combat operations for peace enforcement and Swiss units will only participate in operations under UN or OSCE mandate. On this basis, the Swiss government decided to contribute to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in 1999. This marked the first Swiss participation in a NATO-led peacekeeping operation. Switzerland currently participates in KFOR with a combat service support unit, an infantry company, a transportation platoon, two medium transport helicopters plus support and staff officers (totaling up to 220 personnel).   In addition Switzerland is playing an important role in supporting the development of Kosovo through bilateral and multilateral programs.

From February 2004 to February 2008, a small number of Swiss staff officers joined the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. They provided expertise and assistance in cultivating contacts with local leaders within the German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz province.

Switzerland has made a number of military and civilian units available for potential PfP operations under UN or OSCE mandates. As the country does not have standing military units, units for peacekeeping and peace-support operations are tailored and manned in accordance with specific mission needs. Deployments would be authorized on a case-by-case basis by the Swiss government and parliament. Deployments cannot include combat operations for peace enforcement. Specialized military personnel may be engaged for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and humanitarian operations on short notice.

Switzerland has also declared a number of training facilities available for PfP training activities. These include the Centre for Information and Communication of the Armed Forces in Berne, the Mountain Training Centre of the Swiss Armed Forces at Andermatt, the international training centre of the Swiss Army (SWISSINT) in Stans and the Tactical Training Centre at the Swiss Officers’ Training Centre in Lucerne. A number of civilian training facilities have also been made available for the PfP framework. These include the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), which is certified as a PfP Training Centre, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the International Relations and Security Network (ISN) based in Zurich.

Every two years, Switzerland organizes the “International Security Forum”, which addresses current issues concerning international security policy (the 8th edition will take place in May 2009).

Switzerland also promotes the application of the law on armed conflicts and humanitarian law.  

Defence and security sector reform

Switzerland’s security policy objectives are set out in the “Report 2000 on Security Policy”: maintaining the ability to maintain the freedom of action without being affected by the threat or the use of force against it, the protection of the population against existential dangers and the contribution to international peace and stability, including contributions to international crisis-management operations. The latter in particular requires a high degree of interoperability with Allied and Partner country forces. Therefore development of interoperability for peace-support operations and for operations to support humanitarian aid represents one of the Swiss priorities. The PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) is instrumental in this process as well as Swiss participation in the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC).

Switzerland also contributes valuable resources to NATO in terms of support of security-sector reform activities with other Partner countries, with a special emphasis on democratic control of the armed forces, search and rescue training, international humanitarian law courses and other areas as well as the further development of PAP-DIB (Partnership Action Plan on Defence Institution Building).  

Switzerland has contributed to NATO/PfP Trust Fund projects in PfP countries. Along with individual Allies and Partners, Switzerland has made contributions to voluntary funds among others for the destruction of mines, arms, or ammunition in Albania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro and Ukraine. More recently, the country is co-leading the first ever NATO/PfP – Mediterranian Dialogue Trust Fund project in Jordan. Switzerland is also co-leading a Trust Fund on Building Integrity in Defence Institutions as part of the PAP-DIB.

Civil emergency planning

Civil emergency planning is a major area of cooperation. Switzerland aims to cooperate with NATO Allies in providing mutual support in dealing with the consequences of major accidents or disasters in the EAPC area. Switzerland has contributed through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) to disaster-response operations in NATO member states and Partner countries. Switzerland participates in numerous training events and exercises.

Science and environment

Under the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, scientists from Switzerland have participated in advanced research workshops and seminars on a range of topics. Since 2005, Swiss personnel have participated in over 20 activities. Topics have included unconventional information warfare and the war on terror, network security and intrusion detection, and neurophysics and theoretical methods in system neuroscience.

Evolution of relations

Switzerland joined the new Partnership for Peace (PfP) in 1996 and became a member of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 1997. The country joined the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) in 1999 to foster interoperability with NATO forces in crisis-management operations. Since PfP accession, Switzerland has played an active role in the Partnership and offers expertise and education and training to other Partner countries and Allies, with a special focus on humanitarian missions, humanitarian law, human rights and civil-military cooperation as well as on transparency and democratic control of armed forces.

Key milestones