Relations between Switzerland and Tonga are marginal. There are no notable economic ties with this lightly-populated island state in the Pacific.
Bilateral relations Switzerland–Tonga
Key aspects of relations
The Swiss embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, maintains diplomatic relations with Tonga. Contact is largely sporadic and the two countries occasionally cooperate within a multilateral framework.
Tonga can benefit from Switzerland’s involvement in regional projects, particularly in the field of climate change. One example of this is the exchange on climate change in the Pacific region (Pacific Climate Change Roundtable) which is carried out with the partner organisation, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP).
Cooperation in the domain of education
Scholars and artists from Tonga can apply for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
Swiss nationals in Tonga
At the end of 2012, there were 13 Swiss citizens living in Tonga, four of whom were dual citizens.
History of bilateral relations
The universality of Switzerland’s foreign policy led it to establish diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Tonga in 1985.
Entry in the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
