Switzerland has an embassy in Baghdad for the first time since 1991. The Swiss representation in the Iraqi capital reopened on Tuesday. The foreign ministry cites the improved security situation as the main reason.
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Schweizer Botschaft im Irak wiedereröffnet
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Iraq is at the beginning of a phase of economic development and is playing an increasingly important role in the region as a bridge builder and mediator, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) wrote in a press release.
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: ‘Switzerland to reopen embassy in Baghdad within months’
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In an exclusive interview with SWI swissinfo.ch, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that Switzerland will reopen its embassy in Baghdad within months, ending decades of closure.
With its energy resources, Iraq offers interesting long-term export and investment opportunities for Swiss companies, it said. Cooperation in the area of migration is another priority for Switzerland.
According to the information provided, the embassy in Baghdad is primarily responsible for political and diplomatic tasks. The embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman will remain responsible for consular matters and visa inquiries.
The Swiss embassy in Iraq was closed in 1991 due to the Gulf War following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. After the overthrow of then President Saddam Hussein in 2003 by a US-led military coalition, civil war-like conditions prevailed in the country for years.
In 2014, the Islamic State terrorist militia took control of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, and it was only recaptured by government troops in 2017.
Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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