Switzerland-UAE ties: Long-standing Swiss connection

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Massimo Baggi, Swiss Ambassador to the UAE
Massimo Baggi, Swiss Ambassador to the UAE

The UAE and Switzerland share an economic bond that continues to grow in strength as both countries march towards their respective vision and national goals

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Published: Fri 31 Jul 2020, 11:00 AM

Last updated: Mon 3 Aug 2020, 1:06 PM

The UAE and Switzerland share an economic bond that continues to grow in strength as both countries march towards their respective vision and national goals. Switzerland has long held a presence in the UAE, with a trade office in Abu Dhabi established in 1976 that was later converted into an embassy. Swiss officials were among the first to recognise the UAE's leadership and their foresight and desire to build a progressive hub for business and trade.

To date, both countries pursue regular high-level visits, bilateral agreements and MoUs focused on development in existing sectors and new, diversified industries.

According to Trading Economics, a platform dedicated to tracking global exports, UAE's outbound trade to Switzerland in 2018 consisted of a variety of sectors - namely jewellery, precious stones and metals valued at $9 billion; premium watches courtesy of expert Swiss horologists at $217 million; aesthetic products such as cosmetics, perfumes and essential oils at $51.1 million, healthcare technology at $12.74 million, aircraft at $8.93 million and leather goods at $6.5 million, among others. Further cooperation takes place across education, research and innovation sectors, where seasoned experts from both countries collaborate for the better good.

As a pristine land with natural beauty, Switzerland has long been preferred as an ideal travel destination for UAE residents. Its cool climate, exciting tourism activities, notably adrenaline-pumping seasonal sports, and relaxing atmosphere are popular with Emiratis and expatriates, who love to jet off during UAE's harsh summers.
The UAE, on the other hand, is home to hundreds of Swiss nationals who are engaged in a various of occupations and sectors.

In the spirit of this year's National Day, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) launched a multilingual, interactive website (www.missione1agosto.org) to help Swiss expats reconnect with home and celebrate virtually (#SwissNationalDay).



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