Kuwait and Switzerland: Strengthening the Partnership

His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, held official talks with President Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation. His Highness conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, to President Guy Parmelin, along with his best wishes for the President’s good health and well-being, and for the Swiss Confederation and its friendly people, for continued progress and prosperity.

During the talks, the bilateral relations between the two countries and their friendly peoples were reviewed, along with ways to support and develop them across various fields and to broaden cooperation frameworks between the State of Kuwait and the friendly Swiss Confederation. The most important issues of mutual interest and the latest developments on the regional and international scenes were also discussed. The visit saw the holding of a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The celebration reflected the depth of relations, underscoring the shared commitment to continuing to strengthen ties of cooperation and partnership between them.

Furthermore, His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, sent a message of thanks to President Guy Parmelin, President of the friendly Swiss Confederation, in which he said: “We reaffirm our firm commitment to elevating our historic ties to broader and more comprehensive horizons, and we look forward to continuing our work with you to serve common interests and keep pace with the aspirations of our peoples toward a bright and promising future, wishing the Swiss Confederation further progress and prosperity, and offering you sincere wishes for good health and complete well-being.”

President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin praised the deep relations with the State of Kuwait, expressing his country’s solidarity with Kuwait in the face of Iranian attacks it suffered during this year. A statement issued by the Swiss government quoted President Guy Parmelin as reaffirming his country’s commitment to dialogue, and expressing Switzerland’s desire to contribute to efforts aimed at ending hostilities.

For more details: His Highness and President Guy Parmelin reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and develop them across various fields and broaden cooperation frameworks between the two countries toward broader horizons. The Crown Prince and the President of the Swiss Confederation discussed common issues and regional and international developments.

Bern – KUNA: Official talks between the State of Kuwait and the friendly Swiss Confederation were held in the Swiss capital of Bern. His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, chaired the Kuwaiti side, while the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, chaired the Swiss side.

At the outset of the talks, His Highness the Crown Prince conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to President Guy Parmelin, extending best wishes for good health and well-being to the President, and wishing the friendly Swiss Confederation and its people continued progress and prosperity.

The discussions reviewed the bilateral relations between the two countries and their friendly peoples, as well as ways to support and develop these ties across various fields and to broaden the frameworks of cooperation between Kuwait and Switzerland to serve their shared interests. They also discussed key issues of mutual interest and the latest developments on the regional and international scenes, exchanging views on these matters.

The Kuwaiti delegation included Foreign Minister Sheikh Jara Al-Jaber, Director General of the Direct Investment Promotion Authority Dr. Meshal Al-Jaber, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Switzerland Yusuf Abdul-Samad, Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Najib Al-Badr, Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva Nasser Al-Hin, Brigadier General Ahmed Al-Abdulrahman Al-Duaiji, Director of the Crown Prince’s Office, and Minister Counselor Abdullah Nasser Al-Obeidi, Assistant Foreign Minister for the Minister’s Office.

On the Swiss side, the delegation included Hans-Peter Burtscher, member of the National Council and head of the Swiss-Kuwaiti parliamentary friendship group; Ambassador Andrea Roper Saxer, representative of the Federal Council for Trade Agreements and head of the Department of Bilateral Economic Relations at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) under the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Education and Research; Didier Chassot, Deputy Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and head of the Europe and Middle East Department at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; Gabriel Lüscher, head of the International Security Department at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; Monika Schmutz-Kirguz, head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; Simon Pido, diplomatic advisor to the President of the Swiss Confederation; Miriam Gurtner, First Secretary to the President of the Swiss Confederation at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Education and Research; and Alois Pasqualin, acting head of the Bilateral Economic Relations Department for Africa and the Middle East at SECO.

His Highness the Crown Prince also met with President Guy Parmelin at the Bellevue Palace in Bern on the occasion of his official visit. An official reception was held for His Highness, beginning with the playing of the national anthems of both countries. His Highness then shook hands with senior Swiss officials, followed by President Parmelin shaking hands with members of the official delegation accompanying His Highness.

The visit also included a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the State of Kuwait and the friendly Swiss Confederation, attended by His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, along with senior officials from both sides. The celebration reflected the depth of the historical relations and the close ties uniting the two countries and their friendly peoples over six decades, highlighting the progress and development achieved in various fields. It underscored the shared commitment to continuing to strengthen cooperation and partnership between them, and to advancing bilateral relations to broader horizons that serve their common interests and the aspirations of their friendly peoples.

His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, accompanied by God’s protection and care, and the official delegation accompanying him, departed Zurich International Airport yesterday, following His Highness’s official visit to Bern, the capital of the Swiss Confederation. His Highness was seen off by the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, Ambassador Yousuf Abdul Samad; the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs, Ambassador Najib Al-Badr; and Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Nasser Al-Hin. May God keep him safe in all his endeavors.

His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, sent a message of thanks to the President of the friendly Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, with the following text:

“I am pleased, at the conclusion of my official visit to your friendly country and my participation in the official ceremony held to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the State of Kuwait and the Swiss Confederation, to express on my own behalf and on behalf of the members of the accompanying delegation my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for the warm reception and great hospitality we experienced throughout the visit.

“I wish to highly commend the considerable efforts made by you and your government in organizing this distinguished ceremony, which embodied the depth of bilateral relations and their character over many decades of fruitful cooperation, mutual understanding, and growing positive momentum. These ties were further strengthened by your esteemed visit to the State of Kuwait last February, which received great attention and patronage from His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad.”

“We renew our firm commitment to elevating the historical ties that unite us to broader and more comprehensive horizons, and we look forward to continuing our work with you in a manner that serves our common interests and keeps pace with the aspirations of our peoples toward a bright and promising future, wishing the Swiss Confederation continued progress and prosperity, and extending to you our sincere best wishes for good health and well-being.”

For his part, Swiss President Guy Parmelin praised the depth of relations with the State of Kuwait, expressing his country’s solidarity with Kuwait in the face of Iranian attacks it has suffered this year.

This came in a statement issued by the Swiss government following the conclusion of an official visit by His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, to Bern. The visit included celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as a formal round of talks presided over by the Crown Prince, who led the Kuwaiti side, while President Parmelin led the Swiss side.

The statement conveyed the Swiss President’s reaffirmation of his country’s commitment to dialogue, expressing Switzerland’s desire to contribute to efforts aimed at ending hostilities. It clarified that the talks addressed current international developments, particularly the situation in Iraq and the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the efforts of Switzerland and Kuwait to improve the humanitarian situation in the Middle East and to achieve a solution based on the establishment of two states.

In a related context, President Parmelin clarified in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account that several sectors with significant potential for cooperation have been identified, including healthcare, fintech, sustainable agriculture, and food security, as areas with considerable potential.

Parmelin also noted the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Swiss Global Enterprise and the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, aimed at enhancing investments between the two countries, in the presence of the Crown Prince and the Swiss President.

Parmelin recalled his visit to Kuwait last February, during which he met with His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, and His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance economic cooperation, as well as issues of peace policy and international cooperation.