Welcome to the website of the Embassy of Switzerland in Australia.
Located in Canberra, the embassy looks after the bilateral relations of Switzerland with Australia, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It also takes a leading role in Switzerland’s diplomacy in the Pacific and represents Switzerland at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
We head the embassy as a job-sharing couple but assume distinct outside roles. Nikolas Stürchler is the ambassador to Australia. Barbara Gonzenbach is Switzerland’s Special Envoy for the Pacific region and designated ambassador to Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. We are supported by a dedicated Team Switzerland of around 30 persons overall, comprising of our Canberra-based colleagues and those at the General Consulate in Sydney as well as of our honorary consuls in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Port Moresby.
We hope this website serves as a resource for you as Swiss citizens and for anyone interested in Switzerland. Whether you're exploring Switzerland as a travel destination, a place for study, business, culture, or as a hub for innovation - we are here to assist you. While the embassy focuses on intergovernmental relations and scientific cooperation, our Consulate General in Sydney is dedicated to providing consular services to Swiss citizens and nationals from our six accredited countries. It also supports trade and investment and closely partners with our Swiss Tourism office based in Sydney. Finally, we are lucky to count on active Swiss communities throughout the country and on the Swiss Australian Academic Network (SAAN), dedicated to furthering the cooperation among Swiss researchers in Australia.
Switzerland and Australia are longtime partners. We are like-minded countries, with close ties in a wide range of fields such as diplomacy, science, education, trade and culture. 26 000 Swiss live in Australia and over 200 Swiss companies pursue business here. Over 150 university affiliations promote scientific collaboration. In the Pacific, we cooperate with the countries in the region through a number of projects in such areas as climate change, environment, education, health, water security, migration, promotion of human rights and international humanitarian law. We also support the presence of Pacific Island States in Geneva (home to over 40 international organizations) so that they can make their voices heard and participate in the decisions that affect them.
Follow us on @SwissEmbassyAUS and of course, feel free to contact us by email via canberra@eda.admin.ch.
Warm regards,
Barbara Gonzenbach
Special Envoy of Switzerland for the Pacific Region and Ambassador-designate to Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Nikolas Stürchler
Ambassador to Australia
