Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne also went on Twitter to announce the news (file photo)
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Australia will reopen its embassy in the Swiss capital Bern in 2022 after a 30-year break, the two countries announced on Friday.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis shared the news on Twitter, saying that it was a “significant step on the occasion of our countries’ diamond jubilee”, referring to the two countries marking 60 years of diplomatic relations this year. His Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, said that Australia looked forward to opening an embassy in Bern.
The Australian embassy in Bern was closed down in 1992 for cost reasons. Since then, Switzerland has been represented by the embassy in the German capital Berlin. Australia also has a Consulate-General in GenevaExternal link.
The reopening of the Australian embassy shows how serious the relations between Bern and Canberra are, said the Swiss ambassador to AustraliaExternal link, Pedro Zwahlen.
There are currently 250 Swiss companies in Australia, and bilateral trade is worth around CHF5 billion a year ($5.5 billion). Switzerland exports watches, pharmaceuticals and precision technology to Australia, whereas Australia exports gold, medicines, meat and silver to Switzerland.
In normal times, more than 40,000 Swiss tourists travel to Australia a year.
Unusual, but significant
According to SRF’s diplomatic correspondent Fredy Gsteiger, the move to reopen an embassy is an unusual one.
“More frequent than new embassy openings are embassy closures or mergers. Usually, the aim is to save costs. The fact that Australia is now opening a new embassy in Bern shows that relations between Bern and Canberra have become more intensive – and not only economically,” Gsteiger said.
In addition: “Australia wants to network better with other countries in Europe”. It’s also in Switzerland’s interest to have as many countries represented as possible in Bern, as direct diplomatic contact is important, added Gsteiger.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Switzerland condemned for deciding to deport gay Iranian
This content was published on
Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
This content was published on
A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
This content was published on
The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
This content was published on
A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
This content was published on
In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
This content was published on
Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Swiss healthcare stakeholders want to save CHF300 million
This content was published on
The main players in the Swiss healthcare sector want to save around CHF300 million ($340 million) in healthcare costs a year from 2026.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland tops expat ranking for third time
This content was published on
The Alpine nation is again top for expatriates in British bank HSBC’s annual expat survey, thanks in part to its high quality of life.
This content was published on
After years of dispute, the Australian parliament recently passed the same-sex marriage bill. But the Australian people themselves paved the way.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.