Paul R. Seger

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Paul René Seger (born December 26, 1958 in Basel ) is a Swiss diplomat , lawyer and international lawyer . Seger has been the Swiss Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany since August 28, 2018 .

diplomacy

After joining the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA as a research assistant at the Directorate for International Law (DV) in April 1983, after passing the entrance exam, he transferred to the diplomatic service in 1986 and completed assignments abroad in Kinshasa, New York (UN) and Buenos Aires. In between he held various positions in the IT department. Among other things, as a member of the Swiss negotiating team for the European Economic Area (EEA), he was responsible for legal and institutional issues.

In the spring of 2003, Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy-Rey appointed Seger as director of the DP and legal advisor to the FDFA. The Federal Council also appointed him dual office as Swiss Ambassador for the Principality of Liechtenstein. Seger also headed the Swiss delegation to the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine in Strasbourg , which he chaired in 2006 and 2007.

As director of the International Law Directorate, Seger conceptually implemented the realignment of Swiss neutrality policy of "active neutrality" pursued by Federal Councilor Calmy-Rey. Another focus of his activity was the so-called "Potentate money". Since Switzerland had repeatedly come under international criticism as a haven for the assets of corrupt potentates, the FDFA set up a task force under the leadership of the Directorate of International Law to return stolen or misappropriated public funds to the states affected by kleptocracy. Various prominent restitution cases such as Abacha, Duvalier, Mobutu and Montesinos occurred during Seger's tenure as Director of International Law. Experience with these cases laid the foundation for a legal basis to improve and simplify the return procedure (e.g. the so-called “Lex Duvalier”).

As a result of the violations of international humanitarian law by private mercenary companies in the Iraq war of 2003, Switzerland, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC, initiated an intergovernmental process to establish the law applicable to private military and security companies and practical recommendations for the improved Develop adherence to humanitarian principles. This resulted in the “Montreux Document” in 2007, which was drawn up by representatives from 17 countries under the joint leadership of ambassador Seger and the chief lawyer of the ICRC, Philip Spoerri .

From 2010 to 2015, Seger was the permanent representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York . In this role he chaired the configuration for Burundi within the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) . The PBC aims to support fragile states in conflict resolution and their transition towards peace, democracy, the rule of law and sustainable prosperity. Ambassador Seger also coordinated the ACT group of states, which advocates greater transparency and accountability for the UN Security Council towards member states. As chairman of the Working Group on Amendments of the International Criminal Court (ICC), he was also responsible for examining proposed amendments to the treaty and for making recommendations to the Assembly of States Parties.

From October 2015 Seger was ambassador to Myanmar for three years and in this role he presided over the Peace Support Group to support the peace process in the country until 2017.

Seger has been the successor to Ambassador Christine Schraner Burgener in Berlin since August 25, 2018 .

Life

Paul R. Seger finished school in 1977 with the Matura (Type A) at the Humanist Gymnasium in Basel. His compulsory military service, he graduated as a sergeant in the Basel Füsilierbatallion 97 Infantry Regiment 22. From 1978 to 1983 studied Seger Law at the University of Basel (lic) and received his doctorate in 1986 at Luzius Wildhaber Dr. iur. with a dissertation on the relationship between international law and national law. In addition to his German mother tongue, Seger speaks fluent English, French, Spanish and has a basic knowledge of Italian.

Paul R. Seger has been married to Colette Seger-Schneiter since 1986 and has two grown sons. Seger is a passionate carnival enthusiast and takes part in the Basel Carnival every year as a tambour . He is Roman Catholic and belongs to the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP)

science

From 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2010 Seger was a lecturer in international law at the Faculty of Law and at the European Institute (2003 to 2010) at the University of Basel . In his career to date, he has given guest lectures at Princeton University , Yale , Columbia , George Washington University , University of Michigan , Utah Valley University , Brigham Young University and Arcadia University Pennsylvania . Seger also wrote various academic articles and articles on questions of international law or Swiss foreign policy.

Publications

  • Switzerland's Guardian Role for the Geneva Conventions in the Face of Challenges to IHL Compliance. In: Hommage à Jean Pictet, Zurich, 2016, p. 493-504
  • Significance and value of the small states in international organizations. In: A citizen in the service of the state and the economy - Festschrift for the 70th birthday of Hans Brunhart, Schaan, 2015, pp. 113-133
  • Let the Sunshine In! Five Small States on a Mission to a More Transparent United Nations Security Council. In: Polis and Cosmopolis. Festschrift for Daniel Thürer. Zurich / St.Gallen 2015, pp. 709–719
  • The Law of Neutrality, Oxford Handbook of International Law in Armed Conflict, Oxford, 2014, p. 248-270
  • The lawyer in the diplomatic service. In: Peter Forstmoser / Hans-Ueli Vogt, Introduction to Law, 5th edition, Bern 2012, pp. 712–722
  • René Rhinow / Markus Schefer, Swiss Constitutional Law (contributing author), 2nd edition, Basel, 2009
  • What does the national goal of a just world order mean for Swiss foreign policy? In: Human rights, democracy and the rule of law, “Liber Amicorum” Luzius Wildhaber, Zurich / St. Gallen 2007, pp. 1105-1122
  • Quelques réflexions sur l'application du principe de l'universalité en droit pénal et sur le rôle de la Suisse en tant qu'état hôte d'organisations et de conférences internationales. In: La promotion de la justice, des droits de l'homme et du règlement des conflits par le droit international: Liber Amicorum Lucius Caflisch, 2007, p. 455-478
  • New trends in the area of ​​international corporate responsibility, Swiss Journal for International and European Law (SZIER) 3/2005, pp. 459–469
  • The position of Switzerland as an observer at the United Nations in New York, SZIER 5/1995, pp. 479-514

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ NZZ 2004: Ambassadors without residence. In: NZZ. NZZ, March 8, 2004, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  2. ↑ 100 years of modern navigation on the Rhine. In: EDA Info. EDA Info, May 27, 2004, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Potentate money: Switzerland helps with the search. Retrieved August 14, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Swissinfo: Potentate money: Switzerland rejects criticism. swissinfo.ch, May 16, 2007, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  5. ↑ humanrights.ch: Potentate money: Duvalier's money goes back to Haiti. February 13, 2009, accessed August 17, 2020 .
  6. ^ Swissinfo: Swiss target private military firms. In: Swissinfo.ch. Swissinfo, October 19, 2006, accessed on August 17, 2020 (English).
  7. ^ Paul R. Seger: Chair's visit to Burundi, 1–3 July 2015. In: United Nations. United Nations, July 9, 2015, accessed July 8, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Georg Kreis: In the innermost circle of power - should Switzerland join the UN Security Council? In: Tageswoche.ch. Week of the day, July 21, 2015, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  9. ^ International Criminal Court: Meeting Protocol. International Criminal Court, April 16, 2014, accessed August 17, 2020 .
  10. ^ The Irrawaddy: 'There is No One-Size-Fits-All Federalism': Swiss Ambassador. 2016, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  11. ^ Peace Support Group (PSG): Joint Statement from the Peace Support Group (PSG) currently chaired by Switzerland on Myanmar National Ceasefire Agreement. In: FDFA. August 10, 2015, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  12. ^ Paul R. Seger: International law as a material barrier to the constitutional revision? In: swissbib.ch. 1986, accessed August 17, 2020 .
  13. ↑ Patrick Marcolli: "I'm a little homesick" - Ambassador Paul Seger is returning to Basel for Carnival. In: www.bzbasel.ch. BZ Basel, March 10, 2019, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
  14. ^ University of Basel: Lecture with practical courses: Deepening in international law. vorlesungsverzeichnis.unibas.ch, September 2009, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
personal data
SURNAME Seger, Paul R.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Seger, Paul René; Seger, Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss diplomat, lawyer and international lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH December 26, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH Basel