Ambassador Monika Schmutz Kirgöz assumed office as the Head of the Middle East and North Africa Division at the State Secretariat of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in Bern in 2025. Since she joined the diplomatic service in 1996, she held several positions such as Spokesperson of the FDFA, Head of political and cultural affairs to the Swiss Embassy in Ankara, Head of economic, trade, and finance section in Rome, Deputy Head of Mission in Tel Aviv, and Consul General in Istanbul. More recently, she served as Ambassador of Switzerland to Lebanon in 2017, also covering Syria, and Ambassador of Switzerland to Italy, Malta and San Marino in 2021
