Bilateral relations Switzerland–Vanuatu
Relations between Switzerland and Vanuatu are largely sporadic and the two countries occasionally cooperate within a multilateral framework. Head of the FDFA Didier Burkhalter made an official visit to Vanuatu in 2013.
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
The Swiss embassy in Canberra, Australia, maintains diplomatic relations with Vanuatu. There are no notable economic ties with this lightly-populated island state in the Pacific.
Switzerland advocates for Vanuatu’s presence at the United Nations to be strengthened and provides logistical support for the opening of a permanent Vanuatan representation in Geneva.
Official website of the Vanuatan government
Cooperation in the domain of education
Switzerland promotes the training of young diplomats from Vanuatu. Scholars and artists from Vanuatu can apply for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars, SERI
Swiss nationals in Vanuatu
At the end of 2020, 24 Swiss nationals were living in Vanuatu.
History of bilateral relations
The universality of Switzerland’s foreign policy led it to establish diplomatic relations with Vanuatu in 1990. Head of the FDFA Didier Burkhalter made a working visit at the end of October 2013, the first time a representative of Switzerland has officially visited Vanuatu.
Between 1999 and 2002, the SDC supported a musical project compiling Vanuatu’s musical diversity.
Vanuatu, Historical Lexicon of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
Links
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