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Job losses add up

Wednesday, 16 September 2026 06:35

Geneva's international organisations have shed more than 2,800 jobs since Donald Trump returned to the White House

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs put the current headcount at just under 23,000, down from 25,696 in 2024.

The UN Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration and the World Health Organization have all cut posts after Washington slashed its contributions.

Bern calls the impact "less severe than feared" — no organisation has left, and three states have opened new missions in the city.

The total number of international bodies based in Geneva has actually risen by one, to 29.

 

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