Swiss Abroad 'Can Be Proud Of The Support They Give Their Country'

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Marianne Jenni took up the post of director of the Swiss foreign ministry's consular division in January 2025. After 100 days in office, she takes stock of the challenges: the government's cost-cutting measures, the digitisation of consular services and growing demand for prevention advice for Swiss nationals abroad. This content was published on April 27, 2025 - 10:30 7 minutes

Emigration, returning to Switzerland, family, education, pensions, banking, insurance... I care about Swiss people living abroad and inform them about the issues that concern them. Passionate about languages and cultures, my career path took a short turn through marketing and assistant work before crossing the road into journalism, in a job that allows me to converse with people from all over the world.

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The Directorate of Consular Affairs is the foreign ministry unit that oversees Switzerland's consular network. Its smooth running is essential for the Swiss Abroad, since its decisions have a direct impact on the diaspora.

It is now headed by Marianne Jenni, who was most recently ambassador to Ecuador in Quito. With more than 30 years of consular experience under her belt, she knows all about the challenges of life abroad.

SWI swissinfo: Marianne Jenni, you have led the consular office for 100 days. What is your initial assessment?

Marianne Jenni: Very positive. The office is working really well, thanks to qualified staff who are providing excellent services. I've been struck by their unflagging motivation and by all the projects underway.

I have also taken advantage of my new position to forge links with our various partners, such as the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) and the Swiss Abroad cross-party parliamentary group.

SWI: Where do you see the biggest challenges at the moment?

M.J.: The digitisation of consular services is undoubtedly the most important challenge. More and more Swiss people are moving abroad, particularly older people. But at a time where the government is cutting costs, there is no increase in consular staff. We therefore need to find solutions to provide the same quality of service to more people, and digitisation is one of them.

Prevention advice also represents a major challenge. Many Swiss people go to live or travel in dangerous regions. Good preparation is also important for retired people, so they don't underestimate the implications of moving abroad. Our role is to provide them with useful tools and information so that they are as well prepared as possible. We do this, for example, through campaigns such as Ageing AbroadExternal link or webinarsExternal link organised with the OSA.

In November 2025, the Swiss Abroad ActExternal link will celebrate its tenth anniversary. We're going to use the occasion to raise awareness of the importance of prevention and to remind people of the principle of individual responsibility.

>> Find the latest statistics on the Swiss Abroad here:

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This content was published on Apr 13, 2025 Swiss nationals are spread all over the world. Only five countries currently have no Swiss Abroad – at least officially.

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