Bilateral relations Switzerland–Angola
Switzerland and Angola enjoy good bilateral relations. Ties between the two countries were reinforced with the 2006 opening of Angola's first embassy in Bern, followed by the reopening of the Swiss embassy in Luanda in 2009.
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
In its Strategy for Africa 2025–28, Switzerland considers southern Africa – which includes Angola – to be a favourable region for the development of new forms of cooperation. In this context, Switzerland is working to promote effective forms of governance and the fight against corruption.
Switzerland and Angola have established bilateral relations in the political, economic, migration and legal fields.
In 2021, the two countries signed a protocol on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, strengthening the fight against international crime and corruption in Angola.
Excellent cooperation on migration is based on an agreement signed by Angola and Switzerland in 2015 and includes a variety of related projects.
Economic cooperation
Trade between the two nations is good, albeit modest, and is based mainly on exports of machinery.
Angola is home to a number of Swiss multinationals as well as a dozen or so SMEs. A chamber of commerce has also been set up.
Trade promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise SGE
Cooperation in education, research and innovation
Researchers who are citizens of Angola can apply to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships, SERI
Development cooperation humanitarian aid
Between 1996 and 2007, Swiss Humanitarian Aid carried out major operations in Angola – ranging from humanitarian aid for displaced people to the reconstruction of infrastructure.
A 2005 asset restitution agreement gave birth to a special project managed by the Swiss embassy in Luanda and the SDC, known as the Swiss-Angolan socio-humanitarian programme. An additional agreement on the further restitution of Angolan assets from Switzerland was signed in 2012. The funds have been used to finance major projects in the education sector (construction of an agricultural school, rehabilitation of a technical college) aimed at developing and diversifying the Angolan economy.
Swiss nationals in Angola
According to statistics on the Swiss abroad, 70 Swiss nationals were living in Angola at the end of 2024 and 2,064 Angolan nationals were living in Switzerland
History of bilateral relations
A Swiss consulate operated in Luanda from 1962 to 1975, the year when Angola gained independence from Portugal. Switzerland recognised the People's Republic of Angola on 18 February 1976 and an embassy, headed by a chargé d'affaires, was opened in Luanda in 1977. Regional conflicts and the civil war between 1975 and 2002 prompted Switzerland to close its embassy in August 1996 until 2009, and to replace it with a humanitarian aid office, first in Huambo, then in Luanda.
Economic relations between Angola and Switzerland began to develop in the 1950s.
Angola, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
Diplomatic documents of Switzerland, Dodis
Link
- Switzerland and Angola
- Treaty database
- Migration
- Trade promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise SGE
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships, SERI
- Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA)
- Angola, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
- Diplomatic documents of Switzerland, Dodis
Documents
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