Switzerland committed to rules-based global order, free trade: President Parmelin

Davos, Jan 20 (PTI) Switzerland on Tuesday said it supports a rules-based international order, international law, human rights, and free trade and these values have always defined the country.

In the opening plenary address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting here, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said Switzerland wishes to further diversify its international relations, particularly in the trade and scientific fields.

"Even in the current climate of protectionism, we believe in the success of free trade and want to expand our network of agreements in this area," he said.

To achieve this, we must be able to conduct negotiations on equal footing, negotiations that yield positive results for the benefit of all parties, he underlined.

"Such mutually advantageous agreements don't just appear out of thin air, but we have the capacity to build them step by step. Personal contacts and a willingness to engage in dialogue are essential for this. We possess these qualities," he said.

The president said the WEF has always contributed to this dialogue and thanked the Forum for offering the country, once again this year in Switzerland, this extraordinary international platform for exchange.

He said such a large turnout of global leaders in Davos takes on a special significance this year, which began tragically for Switzerland and thanked the countries concerned for the support and solidarity they showed us during the Crans-Montana tragedy.

The year 2025 revealed a number of these challenges and experienced geopolitical, economic, and digital upheavals on a global scale, he said.

"The year 2026, barely begun, already hints at the upheavals to come, and the hotspots of crisis as well. The difficult situations in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan have been compounded by those in Venezuela and Iran, to name just a few," he said.

"In terms of economic policy, protectionism has intensified globally. Furthermore, numerous unanswered questions concerning the role and control of artificial intelligence remain unresolved," he said. PTI BJ DR DR