To strengthen the long-standing and wide-ranging cooperation between Switzerland and South Africa, regular high-level meetings have taken place since 2008 on the basis of a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The five working groups established under the MoU, focusing on foreign policy, human rights, economic and trade relations, economic development and education, research and innovation, provide briefings on their annual meetings during the political consultations. The political consultations of 25 November marked the 11th round of discussions between the two countries.
On the economic front, the two countries highlighted their excellent bilateral relations, especially in the field of research and innovation as well as the one of economy and cooperation. South Africa remains by far Switzerland's biggest trading partner on the African continent and a key strategic partner. Approximately 100 Swiss companies operate in the country and create jobs. In this context, the modernisation of the free trade agreement was discussed.
Multilateral cooperation and human rights
During the talks, Switzerland and South Africa exchanged views on significant regional and international issues, including human rights and multilateral cooperation. A range of key subjects were addressed, as multilateralism within international organisations. For example, Switzerland, recently elected to a fourth term on the Human Rights Council for the period 2025–27, welcomed the opportunity to strengthen collaboration with South Africa within this body in the coming years. Both delegations stressed the importance of strong and committed multilateral cooperation. With this in mind, both countries expressed their willingness to strengthen their multilateral partnership, in particular to promote the universality of human rights worldwide.
Switzerland and South Africa also discussed regional political dynamics. They held in-depth discussions on African multilateral organizations, such as the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as on the contribution of the UN system and other multilateral forums in addressing current geopolitical developments. The war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East were at the centre of the discussions. In terms of foreign policy, South Africa remains an important strategic partner for Switzerland, particularly as a member of the G20 – which it will chair in 2025 – and as a member of the BRICS (Brasil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).
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