Vienna's International Organizations, Missions & Institutes

Read the latest headlines about diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vienna and Austria

Meet the New Ambassador of the Holy See to Austria: H.E. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Dr. Pedro Lopéz Quintana

The new Ambassador of of the Holy See to Austria, H.E. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Dr. Pedro Lopéz Quintana presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to Austria: H.E. Mr. Juan Francisco Facetti

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to Austria, H.E. Mr. Juan Francisco Facetti presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Austria: H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi

The new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Austria, H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Austria: H.E. Mr. Roberto Betancourt Ruales

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Roberto Betancourt Ruales presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of Greece to Austria: H.E. Ms. Catherine Koika

The new Ambassador of Greece to Austria, H.E. Ms. Catherine Koika presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Austria: H.E. Mr. Baker Fattah Hussen

The new Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Austria, H.E. Mr. Baker Fattah Hussen presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.

June 20, 2019

Albania and North Macedonia: No EU Accession Negotiations for the Time Being, but Austria Still in Favor of It

The decision to start accession negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia was postponed. Several EU states are blocking enlargement in the Balkans. The EU committee of the Austrian Federal Council demands that the Western Balkans become part of the EU. The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions, on the other hand, warns against hasty new admissions.

June 20, 2019

Elisabeth Gürtler Receives United States Friendship Award

Austrian entrepreneur Elisabeth Gürtler-Mauthner (69) received the Cultural Icon Award in acknowledgement of her achievements and long friendship with the United States of America from US Ambassador Trevor Traina.

June 20, 2019

German Road Toll Discriminates Against Foreigners - ECJ

The German car toll violates EU law. This was decided by the European Court of Justice in a ruling. This levy is discriminatory, since its economic burden lies practically exclusively on the owners and drivers of vehicles registered in other member states. In Austria, the ruling is received with great pleasure, as the country has won the case through its infringement proceedings.

June 18, 2019

Get to Know Austria's New Minister of Defence Thomas Starlinger

Thomas Starlinger (56) is an Austrian officer (Major General), consultant and politician. He is regarded as a proponent of a professional army. Most recently, he worked as an adjutant to Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who also appointed him Federal Minister of Defence on 3 June 2019.

June 18, 2019

Closure of Controversial King Abdullah Center in Vienna Decided

The Austrian National Council has decided to close the King Abdullah Centre in Vienna. The KAICIID - King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, which is largely financed by Saudi Arabia, has long been controversial. The imminent death sentence of 18-year-old Murtaja Qureiris in Saudi Arabia was the immediate cause. The majority decision of parliament must now be implemented by the Foreign Ministry under Alexander Schallenberg. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) spoke out in favour of a new centre under the auspices of the UN.

June 13, 2019

In Vino Veritas: Wine in Ancient Egypt

Wine has always been a drink for gods and people. The noble drink was just like today an important economic good and stimulant and possessed besides a large religious and cultic meaning. Also in the country at the Nile it was already early professionally produced and enjoyed generously. Under the title "In vino veritas. Wein im alten Ägypten", the Papyrus Museum of the Austrian National Library presents more than 70 fascinating exhibits, up to 3,000 years old, on viticulture and wine enjoyment.

June 13, 2019

Business and Networking Event at the Embassy of India in Vienna

The Embassy of India in Vienna hosted a business talk and networking session with the purpose to bring together Austrian companies having business interest in India and to provide them with a platform to share their experiences and to provide answers to their queries.

June 12, 2019

Celebrate the International Day of Yoga by Exercising

The Indian Embassy in Vienna invites all Yoga enthusiasts to the free International Day of Yoga 2019 in the Vienna Stadtpark. In addition, the United Nations in Vienna invites all yoga fans to "Yoga with Gurus", followed by a panel discussion.

June 12, 2019

Cooperation of the Metropolises Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich

The three German-speaking cities of Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich want to cooperate more closely in their sustainable development within the framework of a city trialogue in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

June 12, 2019

Potential President of the EU Commission Michel Barnier Met Top of New Austrian Government

Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier was in Vienna to meet several members of the new government, including Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Officially, the Brexit negotiations were the focus of the talks, however, unofficially Barnier repeatedly shows interest as Jean-Claude Juncker's successor in the office of EU Commission President.

June 11, 2019

Global Compact for Migration: Top UN Refugee Agency Diplomat Volker Türk at the Kreisky Forum

Austria's top diplomat in the UNHCR, a United Nations Programme, the international law expert Dr. Volker Türk has made an appeal to governments, NGOs and individuals to rethink refugee protection and to implement the UN Global Compact for Refugees adopted in 2018.

June 6, 2019

Austrian Top Diplomat Albert Rohan Deceased

As one of his first duties the new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg had to inform the public about the death of one of the most distinguished diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Albert Rohan died shortly after his 83rd birthday. He had played a crucial role in shaping Austrian foreign policy in numerous international functions.

June 5, 2019

New Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg Inaugurated

The new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (49) was sworn in by the Federal President as Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. He succeeds Karin Kneissl.

June 5, 2019

Ten Years of IST Austria Celebrations

IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) was inaugurated in June 2009 with four professors. Today, almost ten years later, the Institute employs about 700 people, among them 34 European Research Council grantees out of 51 professors, performing cutting-edge research in biology, physics, mathematics, and computer science. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening IST Austria organized a festive event with the following participants, among others: Michael Ignatieff, Alice Dautry, Edith Heard, Daniel Zajfman, Alexander Van der Bellen, Johanna Mikl Leitner and Thomas A. Henzinger the president of IST Austria.

June 5, 2019

Western Balkans: Austrians Demand EU Accession Negotiations Begin

After the EU Commission issued a recommendation for the opening of accession talks with the two Western Balkan states North Macedonia and Albania, the European parliamentarians of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) Karas and Mandl demand that the "promises" be kept. The decision to open accession talks will be taken by the Member States later in June.

June 5, 2019

Turkish - Austrian Diplomatic Efforts Bear Fruit

According to outgoing Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has promised in a telephone conversation to ease the Turkish blockade of Austria in the "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" programme. The PfP is a NATO program aimed at creating trust between NATO and non-NATO members.

June 3, 2019

Swearing In of the Austrian Caretaker Government

Austria now has a transitional government team consisting of 12 people (six women and six men).

June 3, 2019

40 Years of the UN in Vienna - The Tireless Commitment of António Guterres

UN Secretary General António Guterres completed a busy programme when he came to Vienna for the 40th anniversary celebrations and the R20 Austria World Summit. The VIC Vienna International Centre is the place where, with the help of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the 193 member states, 15 Vienna-based UN organisations and more than 5000 people from 125 countries from around the world are bound together.

May 31, 2019

Combat Climate Change - António Guterres' Remarks at the R20 Austrian World Summit

Because of climate change all around the world the sea level is rising, floods, drought, wildfires and extreme storms appear, and people are now losing their homes and being forced to migrate. Read what António Guterres had to say in Vienna after a trip to the South Pacific.

May 30, 2019

40 Years of the UN in Vienna - Guterres, Kneissl and Ludwig at Ceremony

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the VIC Vienna International Centre (UNO-City), UN Secretary General António Guterres, former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig attended a ceremony at the Vienna headquarters of the United Nations.

May 30, 2019

Diplomats for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019

More and more embassies, delegations and permanent representations to international organisations supported this day (IDAHOBIT), that raises awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide, as well as EuroPride 2019 in Vienna.

May 29, 2019

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Greta Thunberg at the Vienna Climate Summit

The 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger are campaigning in the Vienna Hofburg for a stronger commitment against the climate crisis.

May 28, 2019

Head of China's Top Legislative Body in Vienna

Li Zhanshu, one of China's most powerful politicians was in Vienna and was received by Austria's central institutions despite the domestic political turbulences.

May 28, 2019

EU and UN - 40 Years Together in Vienna

Both the UN United Nations and the EU European Union celebrate their 40th anniversary in Vienna. The Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna was established as soon as the United Nations opened their Vienna headquarters in 1979.

May 27, 2019

Apostolic Nuncio Pedro Lopéz Quintana Arrived in Vienna

H.E. Archbishop Dr. Lopéz Quintana became the 92nd Apostolic Nuncio in Vienna after the first accreditation of a Pontifical Nuncio in 1529.

May 22, 2019

Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl to Remain in Transitional Government

While President Van der Bellen has removed Interior Minister Kickl from office, Foreign Minister Kneissl will remain in a transitional government at her own request.

May 21, 2019

International Research Institute IST to Celebrate 10th Anniversary

The "IST - Institute of Science and Technology Austria" in Maria Gugging near Klosterneuburg celebrates its 10th anniversary and invites for this reason to a festive event in its premises. What began 10 years ago with four professors is today an international scientific institution with 700 employees. Among the speakers and participants of the evening are Alexander Van der Bellen, Sebastian Kurz, Heinz Fassmann, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Thomas A. Henzinger, Michael Ignatieff, Daniel Zajfman, Alice Dautry and Edith Heard.

May 21, 2019

Vienna Chamber of Commerce Opened New Headquarters

The Vienna Chamber of Commerce, a branch of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, has recently moved into a new ten-storey building near the Vienna Prater, the so-called "Haus der Wiener Wirtschaft". In this building, ten locations from five districts were combined and now all services can be found under one roof.

May 20, 2019

Opening of the New Austrian Foreign Trade Centre in Vietnam

The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber's largest economic mission to Vietnam and Singapore is currently travelling in Southeast Asia to open a new base in Ho Chi Minh City and to sign a cooperation agreement in Singapore to establish a new Accelerator Programme.

May 16, 2019

Russia Expands Network in Upper Austria

Wolfgang Mayer of the company Backaldrin was elected Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation for Upper Austria in Asten/Upper Austria by the Russian Ambassador in Austria, H.E. Dmitrij Ljubinskij. After the already established Honorary Consulates in Innsbruck and Bludenz, he thus takes over the third Russian Honorary Consulate in Austria. His task is to look after the 3000 Russians in Upper Austria and to promote culture and education.

May 16, 2019

ALPS 2019: How Diplomacy and Commerce Fit Together

As part of the 11th ALPS round in May 2019, 21 international company and start-up founders from 13 non-EU countries had the opportunity to make contact with Austrian decision-makers, explore ways of working together and develop new ideas.

May 16, 2019

New Nuncio Lopez to Be Bridge between Rome and Austria

The new Apostolic Nuncio in Austria sees itself as an instrument of unity and communication between the Pope and the Church in Austria. This was underlined by Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana (65) at his first official meeting with the Austrian Bishops' Conference in Vienna.

May 15, 2019

Putin and Van der Bellen Open Sochi Dialogue Forum

The Sochi Dialogue Russian Austrian Forum was opened in the Black Sea port city as part of a working discussion between Russian and Austrian representatives from politics, business, science, education, art and culture.

May 15, 2019

The Ambassadors of the Four Allied Powers in the Austrian Federal Chancellery

On the occasion of the "Liberation" Day of Austria from National Socialism by the Allies in 1945 and the end of the Second World War (Victory in Europe Day), Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz received the four ambassadors of the USA (Trevor Traina), Great Britain (Leigh Turner), France (representative of Francois Marcel Michel Saint-Paul) and Russia (Dmitrij Ljubinskij) at the Federal Chancellery.

May 13, 2019

Migration Agency Demands New EU Migration Policy

Vienna based think tank International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is teaming up with its 17 member states to draw up migration policy recommendations for the next EU Commission.

May 10, 2019

40 Years of the Vienna International Centre

The United Nations headquarters in Vienna is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, marking four decades of diplomacy in Vienna. The VIC Vienna International Centre, also known locally as "UNO City", was officially inaugurated on 23 August 1979. Today, more than 5,000 employees from more than 125 countries are working to improve the lives of people around the world through the United Nations family of organizations and agencies in Vienna.

May 8, 2019

The Lipizzaners - What Links Austria and Slovenia Together

The Lipizzan horses are to become cultural heritage. After decades of dispute, Slovenia and Austria submit the Lipizzaner breed to UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. This was declared by Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and her Slovenian colleague Miro Cerar after signing a joint declaration in Going in Tyrol. The application should be submitted by March 2020 with the aim of enrolment by 2021.

May 7, 2019

Meet Thailand's New Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna: H.E. Ms. Morakot Sriswasdi

The new Permanent Representative of Thailand to the International Organizations in Vienna, Morakot Sriswasdi, presented her credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and to Yukiya Amano, IAEA Director General.

May 6, 2019

Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation

Almost 100 journalists were killed in 2018. The 2019 World Press Freedom Day discusses the current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.

May 3, 2019

150 Anniversary of the Vienna State Opera

25 May 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the opera house on the Ring, and the Vienna State Opera intends to celebrate this with a total of nine premieres. The premiere of Richard Strauss' Woman Without a Shadow (Frau ohne Schatten) will be the formal highlight of the evening, preceded by a ceremony in the morning and followed by a celebration at Herbert von Karajan-Platz the following day.

May 3, 2019

Antisemitism in Austria - Initiative to Reverse Worrying Trends

As the Jewish community in Austria reports growing concerns about the rise of antisemitism, at the invitation of the FRA - EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, local and EU policymakers, Jewish community organisations and civil society met to discuss how to combat this worrying trend.

May 3, 2019

Foreign Minister of Albania Gent Cakaj Visits Vienna

Austria emphasises its continued support for the commencement of EU accession negotiations with Albania.

April 26, 2019

Exclusive Mini-Davos Conference in Austria's Most Beautiful Ski Resort

European Commissioner Günther Oettinger invited for two days leading politicians, bankers and industrialists to his Europe Forum 2019 in Lech am Arlberg in the Austrian Alps.

April 26, 2019

Former Finance Minister Schelling to Be Appointed to OMV Supervisory Board

Former ÖVP finance minister Hans Jörg Schelling is to move into the supervisory board of the partly state-owned OMV. Various media report that this is being done at the request of senior government officials.

April 25, 2019