Notes from the Federal Palace INTERVIEW: DENISE LACHAT Marianne Jenni, you were the Swiss ambassador to Ecuador until very recently – and you now head the Consular Directorate in Berne. Were there any surprises when you returned to Switzerland? Marianne Jenni: There were no surprises, because I already knew what returning to Switzerland is like. I returned home regularly during my three-year stint in Ecuador, and I had worked for eight years in Berne before then. You need to be adaptable as a diplomat. Without any flexibility, optimism, positivity or sense of curiosity, it would be difficult to change countries every four years and get used to a new language, mentality and culture. But Switzerland has always been my home. And I have a Swiss employer: the FDFA. My situation is different to someone who simply emigrates from Switzerland. Nevertheless, you are well versed in the experiences of Swiss Abroad. After all, you have also lived in places like Paris, Lagos, Rome, London, Baghdad, Kinshasa and Cape Town. One cannot underestimate the challenge of living in a new country of which you have little or no knowledge. The first few months are never easy, because you have to restructure your everyday life. How easy is it then for Swiss Abroad to maintain that connection to Switzerland? The events that I organised in the Ecuadorian capital Quito – Swiss National Day, coming-of-age ceremonies, an event for pensioners – were always popular. Modern communication also makes it easier for people to stay connected to Switzerland. It is quite a contrast to what it used to be like a few decades ago. Yet modern information and connectivity are not necessarily a given. Many Swiss Abroad fear that the SRG SSR online information Marianne Jenni, director general of the Consular Directorate since the beginning of the year, talking to “Swiss Review”: “Anyone who leaves to start a new life in another country is taking a risk.” Photos: Danielle Liniger “The Swiss Abroad are important for Switzerland’s image” On 1 January 2025, Marianne Jenni started work as the new director general of the Consular Directorate (CD) at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In an interview with “Swiss Review”, she talks about the necessity of making consular services available online and defending the interests of the Swiss Abroad. 28 Swiss Review / April 2025 / No.2
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