New Executive Director Rémi Vallet: Switzerland for UNHCR mobilises private sector as humanitarian funding crisis deepens 

In 2025, more than 122 million people are forcibly displaced. This figure is unprecedented and equal to the combined populations of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Portugal. And yet, global humanitarian aid is plummeting. UNHCR is forced to cut vital programmes, depriving millions of families of food, education or safe shelter. 

In this alarming context, Switzerland for UNHCR, UNHCR’s national partner in Switzerland, is strengthening its mission by mobilising civil society, private donors and the Swiss private sector. It is within this demanding environment that Rémi Vallet joins the foundation on 15 September 2025 as Executive Director, bringing more than twenty years of experience in humanitarian engagement and communications, including with UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières. 

“When funding falls short, entire families lose access to healthcare, children can no longer attend school, and refugees are left without shelter. I have faced these realities for years, and they affect me deeply,” says Rémi Vallet. “With all my strength, I commit myself to the goals of Switzerland for UNHCR, mobilising the solidarity of this country and its people to meet these urgent needs.” 

The challenge is immense. In many contexts, families are forced to survive on food rations cut by half, sometimes having to choose between feeding their children or sending them to school. These cuts are not abstract: they mean lives on hold, impossible choices and increased vulnerability for millions who have already lost everything. 

In response, the foundation plays a vital role: connecting civil society, private donors and companies to UNHCR’s mission, ensuring that Switzerland continues to stand with those forced to flee. Under Rémi Vallet’s leadership, the organisation will strengthen fundraising and support in Switzerland and expand its public awareness efforts. 

“This crisis is immense, but so are the opportunities,” he stresses. “My role will be to translate Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition into concrete support on the ground.” 

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The Swiss Foundation for UNHCR, Switzerland for UNHCR, is the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner for Switzerland. We support UNHCR's mission by mobilizing essential resources and raising awareness on behalf of those who are forced to flee.    

For more information on this topic, please contact:  

In Geneva, Vicky Oettel, [email protected]