Welcome to the website of our Embassy,
The Swiss Embassy in Pretoria represents Switzerland's interests in South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Embassy is composed of a multidisciplinary team that includes, in addition to its Political Section, a Science and Technology Office, SECO Economic Cooperation, the Swiss Business Hub Southern Africa and the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO).
In addition, the Embassy in Pretoria hosts the Regional Consular Centre for Southern Africa, which is responsible for consular affairs in eleven countries.
Let us mention the important role of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Cape Town which provides consular services, liaising with regional authorities and promoting business relations within its consular district.
Promoting relations with South Africa is at the heart of the Embassy's mission. This country has the most advanced economy on the African continent and plays a major role on the continental and international stage, thanks to its unique history and as a member of BRICS. With over 65 million inhabitants and eleven official languages, South Africa is a country of great diversity and a land of migration par excellence, with great regional appeal.
Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and South Africa are excellent, and high-level consultations take place between our two countries every year. From an economic point of view, Swiss companies are particularly well represented in the country, where they contribute directly to the more than CHF 6 billion in annual trade between our two countries and account for more than 50,000 direct jobs.
South Africa is also home to the largest Swiss expatriate community on the African continent, with over 8,000 permanent residents.
On this website you will find a multitude of information about our Embassy, its consular representations and its various units. However, if you have any further queries, please contact the Embassy or the relevant divisions directly.
I hope you enjoy your visit and find our website useful.
With my best regards
H.E. Mr Mirko Manzoni
The Ambassador of Switzerland
