"It's hard to predict the future, but we can prepare for it"

In the same year, Yuri Gagarin went to space, Berlin was divided by a wall, and the Beatles played their first concert. I was born in an era of reconstruction that followed the appalling destruction of the Second World War, in which 50 million lives were lost and a vast amount of infrastructure destroyed. Jean Fourastié referred to those years as 'the glorious thirty'. A slightly pompous label, perhaps, but also a justified one.

Economic growth soared above 4% and unemployment was becoming a distant memory. It seemed the future held space for our dreams: whether it was conquering space or defeating poverty and hunger. Like Switzerland's international cooperation, I am the product of an age in which everything seemed possible. This continued up until the first oil crisis in 1973.

After the first oil crisis there was a gradual return to rationalism. The rapid economic growth had been a catalyst for the protests of 1968, which threw an entire system of values into question. I experienced that era as a secondary school student in Lugano, and then at university in Zurich. The world was there to be remade, much as it is today. The burning issues of the day were drugs, AIDS and the growing need for personal fulfilment. It was becoming clear that the planet's resources were not inexhaustible, and that ecology and sustainability needed to be considered alongside individual wellbeing. These are topics that still concern us today.

Paternalism was giving way to self-determination, a process which was also facilitated by technological revolutions and increasing prosperity. Computers had arrived, and digitalisation was emerging along with them. Later, the IT revolution of the 1990s would redefine the notion of time and space and give rise to globalisation. By then I had become a doctor and was becoming increasingly interested in collective issues, which is how I became involved in politics. We were leaving behind traditional values such as modesty and industriousness in favour of self-fulfilment and the pursuit of happiness. The challenges of what we call civilisation were gradually becoming apparent to me. After becoming head of the FDFA I gained a unique perspective on the world that facilitated my understanding of these collective issues.

Every project is the story of the people involved, their shared experiences, and the work they do with partners on the ground. I see two key aspects to this. On the one hand there is the human aspect, an expression of solidarity and Christian charity that I find laudable. But there is also the analytical aspect, which forces me to ask some uncomfortable questions. The missionary spirit, born from the thirty glorious years and based on the Western model of development, doesn't excuse us from being rigorous. Are we doing the right thing? And are we doing it well?

It allows me to get to know colleagues on the ground, their partners, and the world they work in. I very much enjoy talking to them and gaining an insight into their spirit, their way of thinking and the work they are doing. It helps me understand what's being done and how much expertise it requires. When I get back to Bern, these images are imprinted in my mind – I know the faces behind the words in the documents that reach my desk. Those images are also eloquent in helping Swiss taxpayers understand how we use their resources. Without that understanding, we couldn't carry out the work that we do.

Of course. If Switzerland is well regarded at the international level, that is hugely beneficial for our security, prosperity and happiness. For example, creating jobs with our partners in the private sector allows local populations to meet their own basic needs and those of their families. That is where freedom begins.

This debate affects the entire world – and not just the Western one. What kind of a social structure do we want? Democratic or autocratic? Capitalist or communist? Or do we need entirely new structures? Which model can offer every single individual the security, freedom and prosperity that are the Confederation's raison d'être, as defined in Article 2 of the Federal Constitution? Which model will still exist in three hundred years? As has been the case in every era, there are a lot of questions and very few answers!

I will focus on two main topics: diversity and innovation. Diversity because it has marked my entire life as the citizen of a region where a minority language is spoken. Innovation because it sparks my curiosity and was the foundation of my medical training.

Diversity is the very basis of international cooperation. Understanding and accepting others is fundamental to fostering dialogue and acting in a constructive manner – 'inclusion' is a very important word nowadays. Innovation is what international cooperation has strived to achieve for years, and the SDC is very attentive to this dimension – just think of the 'Tech4Good' partnerships, for example, which use digital technologies to reduce poverty and support sustainability. So this year will be an opportunity for international cooperation to further clarify these two elements in its day-to-day activities.

I certainly intend to. But as we all know: "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future!" Even if it's hard to predict the future, though, we can still prepare for it. Projects such as GESDA and the International Cooperation Forum are carried out in that spirit, and call on all actors in society to anticipate challenges and opportunities using new technologies in particular.

I think that the two key global 'megatrends' in the next ten to twenty years will be decarbonisation and digitalisation. The other issues you mention will depend on how these two revolutions develop and how well we manage them.

Human rights, as well as their definition, are the result of an ongoing process of social development that began in the Enlightenment and continues today. They will continue to evolve and adapt to human and collective expression. Our common endeavour should be to strengthen them where they are weak. Switzerland has always guided these efforts and continues to do so via the FDFA's new guidelines, as well as in the digital space online. We've stepped up our work in this area, especially in International Geneva.

The Western world we live in today suffers from a kind of obscurantism, perhaps in part due to the general exhaustion caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an apocalyptic feel to the collective dialogue. But I think we've been slightly blinded by the situation in the short term. I believe that humanity has never been safer or more prosperous than it is now. Of course, there is a lot left to do. But we have won many victories, and will win more in future. It's important to acknowledge that, and it is in that spirit that I view international cooperation.

That is of course a dream that unites most of the world. And I share in the hope that development will one day be complete on every continent, that no one will require aid, and that economic, academic, cultural and social exchanges will be regulated by mutual cooperation agreements.