6. Other regions and priority countries worldwide In line with the principle of universality, Switzerland maintains good bilateral relations with all states of the world. It works with regional and multilateral organisations and with global partners. Its thematic focus areas also apply at the geographical level, particularly in the Federal Council’s priority countries. Switzerland also actively maintains good relations with countries outside the EU. It combines bilateral cooperation with closer ties to regional organisations, in Europe in particular and also with the OSCE and the Council of Europe, in Asia with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) states, in the Americas with the Organization of American States (OAS) and in Africa with the African Union (AU). In 2005, the Federal Council also decided to more systematically develop cooperation with priority countries outside the EU. Relations with Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States have since been strengthened on the basis of country strategies, often combined with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Switzerland engages in formal dialogue with its priority countries. A number of country strategies will be updated in the new legislative period with a view to improving coherence. These will be implemented by interdepartmental coordination bodies, with special attention paid to security challenges. Cooperation with the eight priority countries is particularly close, but Switzerland actively maintains bilateral relations with all states – in line with the principle of universality. It focuses especially on countries that share similar interests and values. Switzerland plans to launch more diplomatic initiatives with like-minded states in the new legislative period. South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and neighbouring regions: Switzerland is held in high regard for its impartiality and humanitarian profile in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia – regions at the centre of different claims to power and spheres of influence. For example, this is reflected in the fact that since 2009 it has represented Georgia’s interests in Russia and Russia’s interests in Georgia in the framework of its good offices. Switzerland is also strengthening relations with countries at the crossroads of powers, and opened an embassy in Belarus in 2019. Armenia, Serbia and Kazakhstan are also important partner countries as they act as links between East and West. In the Western Balkans, the focus is on supporting stability and the countries’ individual development and also on the process of EU integration. The EU is the main actor in the region in the framework of its enlargement policy. Through Russia Turkey United States China Japan India Brazil FDFA South Africa The eight priority countries of Switzerland’s foreign policy 24 Geographical level