The Australian government has officially re-opened its embassy in the Swiss capital, Bern, after a 30-year break. It is part of efforts by both countries to forge closer ties, particularly at the economic level.
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Reabertura de embaixada australiana na Suíça marca um “marco”
The re-opening of the Australian embassy in Bern on Friday “marks a significant milestone in Australia’s relationship with Switzerland and demonstrates the importance we place on deepening our engagement with the Swiss government and people”, the Australian government said in a statementExternal link on Friday.
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.
Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said: “Our partnership with Switzerland dates back over 60 years, and the opening of the Bern embassy is a testament to our enduring relationship and close cooperation.”
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On Friday, Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin held talks with Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, on issues ranging from bilateral economic relations, cooperation within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to potential areas of cooperation in the cleantech sector.
Australia, the world’s twelfth largest economy, is an important business partner for the Alpine country. Bilateral trade reached CHF3.7 billion ($3.9 billion) in 2021. According to Australian statistics, Switzerland is the eleventh largest investor in Australia. Over 250 Swiss companies in Australia had invested CHF10.1 billion in the country up to the end of 2020.
Switzerland exports watches, pharmaceuticals and precision technology to Australia, whereas Australia exports gold, medicines, meat and silver to Switzerland.
“Because of its strong demand for innovative products and services, and with investments being made in its infrastructure, the Australian market offers considerable potential for Swiss businesses and the Swiss scientific community,” the Swiss government said in a separate statementExternal link on Friday.
In normal times, more than 40,000 Swiss tourists travel to Australia a year.
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