2030 Agenda: Coordination within Switzerland
Switzerland is taking a decentralised approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda. The Federal Council has appointed two delegates and created various bodies to coordinate the implementation.
Delegates of the Federal Council for the 2030 Agenda
The two Federal Council delegates for the 2030 Agenda alternately chair the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee, which is responsible for steering and coordinating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In addition to taking on coordination and representation functions, the delegates regularly report to the Federal Council on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Markus Reubi
Markus Reubi studied law at the University of St. Gallen HSG and holds an Executive MBA from McGill University and HEC in Montreal. After holding various positions in the private sector, including in management consultancy, he joined the Swiss diplomatic service in 2003. After completing his training in Algeria, he took on various roles at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), initially at the head office in Bern as a member of the International Finance Section and later as Deputy Head of Human Resources. From 2008 to 2012, he was responsible for relations with Switzerland in the field of education, research and innovation in China, and from 2014 to 2018, he was responsible for establishing the Swiss Business Hub (trade and investment promotion) in Canada. From 2018 to 2022, he was deputy to the ambassador at the Swiss representation in Tokyo. In June 2022, he took up the position of Deputy Head of the Prosperity and Sustainability Division (AWN) at the FDFA. At the same time, he was appointed by the Federal Council as Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda. Reubi has been the chair of the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee since September 2024.
Daniel Dubas
Daniel Dubas studied political science and urban development at the University of Lausanne. He has been the Federal Council’s delegate for the 2030 Agenda since 2019 and heads the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee, alternating the role with Markus Reubi. In this role, he is responsible for the domestic implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Daniel Dubas has headed the Sustainable Development Section at the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) since 2013 and has been a member of the Extended Executive Board since 2019. Prior to this, he was project manager for the Federal Council’s Sustainable Development Strategy from 2009 to 2013 and worked at the Canton of Vaud’s Sustainable Development Centre from 2007 to 2009.
2030 Agenda Steering Committee
The Federal Council is committed to the decentralised implementation of the 2030 Agenda and created the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee as a strategic steering and coordination body for implementation at the federal level. It consists of representatives from the federal offices most affected by sustainability issues at the director level. The committee is chaired alternately by the two Federal Council delegates for the 2030 Agenda.
The tasks of the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee include:
- preparing the country report to the UN (Voluntary National Review),
- prioritising the most important challenges and opportunities for Switzerland,
- setting national goals,
- and coordinating measures.
2030 Agenda Advisory Group
The Federal Council has set up an advisory group to promote dialogue between non-state actors involved in the implementation of the 2030 Agend.
The members of the 2030 Agenda Advisory Group are appointed by the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee. It is composed of 18 representatives from civil society, business and academia. The Group’s mandate is to advise the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee on issues relating to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as to comment on national and international activities. The members of the Advisory Group are responsible for coordination within their respective areas.
The Advisory Group specifically performs the following duties:
- Developing strategic considerations and proposals for shaping 2030 Agenda topics;
- Fostering dialogue between policymakers, government offices, civil society, the private sector and academia;
- Contributing field-specific expertise to the work and deliberations of the 2030 Agenda Steering Committee and to the Swiss Confederation’s 2030 Agenda projects;
- Drafting opinions on action plans, possible updates to the 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy and reports on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
- Making suggestions about how to use synergies between the different goals;
- Participation in events;
- Providing information about the 2030 Agenda.
Cantonal Sustainable Development Network (CSDN)
Implementing the 2030 Agenda is a great opportunity to promote sustainable development in Switzerland at all levels of government. Effective implementation requires smooth cooperation between the cantons (horizontal) as well as between the cantons and the federal government (vertical). This cooperation is ensured by the «Cantonal Sustainable Development Network (CSDN)». Members of the association are representatives of the cantonal sustainability offices and the ARE.
Documents
Contact
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Prosperity and Sustainability Division