Bilateral relations with Cuba are good and stable. Switzerland has provided development cooperation since 2000 and regularly offers humanitarian aid in the context of natural disasters. Cuba is currently one of Switzerland's priority countries for development cooperation until 2024.
Bilateral relations Switzerland–Cuba
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
Switzerland and Cuba have been engaged in political dialogue since 2006 as part of regular consultations. The two countries have concluded agreements on trade, investment protection and promotion, air transport, and the transfer of sentenced persons.
Switzerland is primarily active in Cuba in the field of development cooperation, where it implements its 2017–21 cooperation strategy.
Economic cooperation
The Swiss-Cuban Chamber of Commerce promotes trade relations between the two countries, which are nonetheless modest. In 2020 Switzerland imported CHF 46.6 million worth of goods from Cuba, mainly agricultural products. Swiss exports to Cuba – mainly machinery, pharmaceutical and chemical products, and precision instruments – amounted to CHF 4.1 million.
Cooperation in education, research and innovation
Researchers from Cuba 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
Development cooperation and humanitarian aid
Switzerland supports the efforts of Cuban society to further the nation's development in a peaceful and participatory manner on the basis of the social achievements that have been made to date. It promotes local initiatives that improve living conditions and strengthen institutions by means of practical measures, with a special focus on developing municipalities since 2011. Furthermore, Switzerland supports national strategies to promote local development in the areas of agriculture and housing. In 2020 Switzerland allocated about CHF 13.8 million to international cooperation in Cuba. In total, Switzerland is investing more than CHF 53 million in Cuba as part of its 2017–21 cooperation strategy.
Swiss nationals in Cuba
According to statistics on the Swiss abroad, there were 277 Swiss nationals living in Cuba at the end of 2020.
History of bilateral relations
When Cuba became an independent republic in 1902, Switzerland recognised the new republic and established diplomatic and consular relations. The first Swiss honorary consuls to Cuba were appointed in the 19th century. The Swiss consulate was established in 1918 and gradually upgraded to a full embassy in 1957.
Trade took place as far back as the 19th century and continued after the Cuban revolution in 1959.
Switzerland represented the United States' interests in Cuba from 1961 until the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries in July 2015. Switzerland also represented the interests of Cuba in the United States from 1991 to July 2015.
