Relations between Switzerland and Mozambique are good and are rooted in long-standing cooperation. As a priority country for Swiss development cooperation, Mozambique benefits from a long-term commitment, particularly since the Maputo Peace Agreement (2019), signed with Swiss support. The country also offers economic potential for Swiss businesses.
Switzerland has set out a strategy for Africa for 2025–28.
Switzerland and Mozambique established diplomatic relations in 1976, just after the country gained independence. Since then, regular high-level official visits between the two countries have taken place. In particular, the signing of the Maputo Accord in 2019 was attended by Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and the President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset visited Mozambique in 2023.
Mozambique's economy has been struggling since 2016 (public debt crisis and COVID as well as impact of climate disasters). Nevertheless, the country's favorable geographic situation, natural resources (coal, aluminium) and natural gas reserves, which have not been fully exploited, give it considerable economic potential.
The Swiss embassy in Maputo set up the Swiss Mozambican Business Network in 2013, which officially became the Swiss-Mozambican Chamber of Commerce in 2017. Both entities work closely together to promote trade and investments between Switzerland and Mozambique.
A trade agreement concluded in 1979 and a bilateral agreement on investment promotion and protection concluded in 2002 form the basis for the development of economic relations between the two countries.
Researchers who are citizens of Mozambique 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
Mozambique is a priority country for Switzerland's international cooperation. This includes the SDC, the FDFA's Peace and Human Rights Division and SECO, which carry out complementary activities in Mozambique. Switzerland supports bilateral development cooperation and humanitarian projects, mainly in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula.
It also provides support to Mozambique through the SDC's global and regional programs and by contributing to international/multilateral organizations and Swiss NGOs active in the country.
A new Swiss cooperation program for Mozambique will be implemented in 2025–28.
Development cooperation and humanitarian aid
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, Economic Cooperation and Development
According to the statistics on the Swiss abroad, at the end of 2020 there were 149 Swiss nationals living in Mozambique.
On 30 October 1974 the Federal Council recognized Mozambique's independence, which was officially declared on 25 June 1975. In 1977 Switzerland opened an embassy in Maputo. Bilateral development cooperation between the two countries was initiated in 1979.
The roots of Swiss cooperation with Mozambique go back to the 1880s, when the Swiss Mission was founded. Swiss missionaries won wide recognition in Mozambique for their work to improve social conditions: besides hospitals, they built schools where they also taught in local languages, which led to disagreements with the Portuguese colonial authorities.
Mozambique, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)
Last update 29.07.2025
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