State Secretary Markus Mäder on official visit to The Hague

Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will travel to The Hague in the Netherlands from 16 to 17 September 2026. The visit will focus on bilateral talks with senior representatives of the Dutch authorities as well as discussions with Sabrina Dallafior, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

State Secretary Mäder will meet with senior representatives of the Dutch Ministries of Defence, the Interior and Foreign Affairs, as well as the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security. This will be his first working visit to the Netherlands. The talks will therefore provide an opportunity to establish contacts and discuss the current security situation as well as bilateral and multilateral security policy cooperation.
Meeting with the new OPCW Director-General
Since the organisation’s foundation, Switzerland has been a strong supporter of the OPCW; which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027. Since 25 July 2026, Swiss diplomat Sabrina Dallafior has served as the first woman to head the OPCW. State Secretary Mäder will meet with her and other high-ranking representatives of the organisation. The discussions will focus on the current challenges facing the Chemical Weapons Convention and the long-standing cooperation between Switzerland and the OPCW.