Switzerland reopens embassy in Iraq. But is the political situation stable enough? 

Switzerland reopened its embassy in Iraq in early September. Keystone-SDA

Switzerland has reopened its embassy in Iraq after a hiatus of more than three decades. The diplomatic move signals confidence in Iraq’s post-conflict recovery, although security and political challenges remain. 

Switzerland made its official comeback in Iraq in early September. It reopened its Baghdad embassy 33 years after shuttering its previous mission in 1991 due to the Gulf War. 

“Together with my team, I have the honor to reopen the Swiss representation and make sure that the Swiss flag is again permanently flying in the Iraqi capital,” said Swiss Ambassador to Iraq Daniel Hunn in a message posted on the embassy websiteExternal link on September 3.   

Switzerland has no immediate plans to establish a traditional embassy building in Baghdad. Like other Western diplomatic missions in Iraq, Swiss diplomats will reside and work in a hotel for security reasons. The level of violence between Sunni and Shiite armed militias may have dropped compared to the height of sectarian conflict, but they remain a threat to Western interests.   

This is not the first time Switzerland has re-established a diplomatic presence in Iraq. In 2001, the country briefly reopened a liaison office in the capital, but the resurgence of conflict and the rise of Islamist forces forced Swiss diplomats to relocate to Jordan. From there, they continued to manage diplomatic and consular affairs related to Iraq. 

The decision to reopen the embassy was first discussed during a visit by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis to Iraq in 2021. After receiving approval from the Swiss foreign affairs committees in autumn 2023, the embassy finally opened its doors in September 2024.

Switzerland now joins over 50 other nations, including Austria, France, Italy, and Germany, in maintaining a diplomatic presence in Baghdad. The Swiss government’s goal is to strengthen bilateral relations with Iraq, focusing on economic, security, and migration cooperation. However, the Swiss embassy in Amman, Jordan will continue to provide consular services to Iraqi citizens. 

Though the political situation in Iraq has stabilised, the Islamic State (IS) remains embedded in part of the country and parliament suffers from a lack of legitimacy. This presents security risks, according to experts. Some question the timing of the reopening. 

Peace and stability ….  

The Swiss government appears confident in its timing. According to the Federal Department of Foreign AffairsExternal link (FDFA), Iraq’s security situation “has improved in recent years,” shifting from a prolonged period of internal conflict to one of economic development. The FDFA’s press release also celebrates Iraq “playing an increasingly important role as a regional mediator and bridge-builder,” contributing to peace and security in the Middle East. 

Switzerland’s embassy in Baghdad will focus on strengthening bilateral relations and advancing Swiss interests in key economic, security, and peace initiatives. The press release says Iraq’s energy sector, along with its diversified economy, presents promising long-term opportunities for Swiss businesses, particularly in terms of export and investment prospects.  

Bilateral cooperation on migration is another significant priority for Switzerland. A migration agreement was signed in May 2024External link, which paves the way for deeper collaboration between the two countries. To assist with this effort, the embassy will include an immigration liaison officer (a delegate from the State Secretariat for Migration, SEM), whose role will be to “support bilateral cooperation on return.” 

Although asylum applications from Iraqi nationals account for only slightly more than 1% of the total in 2023, the SEM still considers this figure to be “relatively high.” Currently, 2,317 Iraqi nationals are undergoing the asylum process in Switzerland, with 508 deportation cases pending, according to Le TempsExternal link. 

“Due to Iraq’s geopolitical significance, reopening a diplomatic representation in Iraq was an objective of the Federal Council’s MENA Strategy 2021–24″, the Swiss government states in a press release.External link  

…. on the surface 

While the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is optimistic, the situation on the ground remains unstable.  

In October 2021, Iraq held parliamentary elections, but it took over a year to form a government. This process was marked by “significant tensions” and a “near civil war”, according to Adel Bakawan, a French-Iraqi sociologist and director of the French Center for Research on Iraq. 

“The situation is both fragile and unstable,” says Adel Bakawan, French-Iraqi sociologist and director of the French Center for Research on Iraq. Courtesy of CFRI

“The situation is both fragile and unstable,” says Bakawan. “The international community is often in a hurry to present countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, or Libya in a positive light as soon as there’s something encouraging.”   

He argues that this rush to declare stability often obscures a more complex reality. Bakawan points to the volatility of Iraq’s political landscape, describing the current government, which he referred to as the “losers” of the 2021 elections, as extremely fragile.  

He further emphasised ongoing security concerns, particularly the threat posed by the Islamic State, which is in partly based in Iraq. “The IS remains a real threat,” he says. “They attack regularly, and even US forces in Iraq have suffered casualties recently. In this context, claims that Iraq is a stable country are far from the truth.” 

Bakawan is equally critical of Switzerland’s focus on migration cooperation. He labels it as unrealistic, saying, “Frankly, it is an absurd idea in the current context. You cannot negotiate with such an unstable government. Iraq is on the verge of implosion, and the government neither has the capacity nor the willingness to address issues like migration.”   

The embassy of Iraq in Bern acknowledges the country is emerging from a difficult period but points to areas of progress. “Iraq’s security situation has significantly improved in recent years, following a challenging period of conflict with terrorist groups,” it wrote in an email to SWI swissinfo.ch. “The country is now entering a phase of economic development, with a growth rate of 9.3%, the highest in the Arab world and second globally, according to the World Bank.”   

It noted that “Iraq’s rich energy resources and its growing, diversified economy offer significant long-term opportunities for Swiss businesses in both exports and investments.” 

 Edited by Virginie Mangin/ds