Bilateral relations are good and stable. Switzerland has provided development cooperation since 2000 and regularly offers humanitarian aid in the context of natural disasters. Cuba is a priority country for Swiss development cooperation (until 2024).
Bilateral relations Switzerland–Cuba
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
Switzerland has been engaged in political consultations with Cuba since 2006. The two countries have concluded bilateral agreements on trade, investment promotion and protection, air transport and the transfer of sentenced persons.
Economic cooperation
The Swiss-Cuban Chamber of Commerce and Industry promotes trade relations, although these remain fairly modest. In 2023, Switzerland imported goods worth CHF 43.3 million, mainly agricultural products. Its exports to Cuba in that year totalled CHF 6 million, and consisted mainly of watches, paper products, machinery, precision instruments and pharmaceutical and chemical products.
Cooperation in education, research and innovation
Researchers with Cuban citizenship 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 Cuban society in its pursuit of peaceful and participatory development, based on the preservation of its social achievements. It promotes local initiatives designed to improve living conditions for the population and strengthen the country's institutions through concrete measures, focusing since 2011 on municipal development. It also supports national strategies to encourage local development in the agricultural and housing sectors. In 2021, Switzerland released around CHF 10.9 million as part of its international cooperation activities in Cuba.
Swiss nationals in Cuba
According to statistics on the Swiss abroad, there were 211 Swiss nationals living in Cuba at the end of 2023.
History of bilateral relations
When Cuba became an independent republic in 1902, Switzerland immediately recognised it and established diplomatic and consular relations. The first Swiss honorary consuls were appointed in the 19th century. A consulate was established in 1918 and eventually became an embassy in 1957.
Trade began in the 19th century and was maintained after the revolution of 1959.
Switzerland represented the interests of the United States in Cuba from 1961 until the two countries restored diplomatic relations in July 2015. It also represented Cuban interests in the United States from 1991 to July 2015.
