Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the Dominican Republic are good. Trade between the two countries has grown in recent years. The Dominican Republic is a popular destination for Swiss tourists.
Bilateral relations Switzerland–Dominican Republic
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
The Dominican Republic is a popular tourist destination and a country to which many Swiss citizens emigrate. Switzerland and the Dominican Republic maintain trade relations and have also signed bilateral agreements on air transport, investment protection, and the transfer of sentenced persons.
Official website of the government of the Dominican Republic (es)
Economic cooperation
In 2023, Switzerland imported goods worth CHF 795 million from the Dominican Republic, mainly precious metals and agricultural products. That same year, it exported approximately CHF 40.4 million worth of goods, mainly machinery, agricultural products, precious metals and jewellery, beauty products and detergents, as well as optical and medical instruments.
Cooperation in education, research and innovation
Researchers and artists who are citizens of the Dominican Republic can apply to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists, SERI
Swiss nationals in the Dominican Republic
At the end of 2023, 2,114 Swiss citizens were living in the Dominican Republic, forming the largest Swiss community in the Caribbean.
History of bilateral relations
The Dominican Republic gained its independence in 1844. Switzerland recognised the new state and opened a consulate in Santo Domingo in 1936. During the Second World War, Switzerland represented the interests of the Dominican Republic in several countries. The Swiss consulate was upgraded to a consulate general in 1959 before being upgraded to an embassy in 2007. Since May 2011, the regional consular centre in Santo Domingo has been responsible for all consular affairs in Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis.
Dominican Republic, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
