Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation to attend funeral of former Emir of Qatar
Bern, 13.07.2026 — Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will travel to Qatar on 13 and 14 July 2026 to attend the official funeral of the former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. As head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr Cassis will represent Switzerland at the condolence ceremony in the presence of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Tuesday in Doha.
During the ceremony Mr Cassis will convey the Federal Council’s condolences to the ruling family and the people of Qatar. Switzerland maintains close bilateral relations with Qatar, especially where the economy and new technologies are concerned, as well as on peace, security and human rights.
Federal Councillor Cassis had met with the Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, last month at the Bürgenstock resort in the canton of Nidwalden. Their discussions focused in particular on cooperation between the two countries with regard to good offices and mediation.