JULY - AUG 2020

Special report on
National day of Switzerland
Message
H.E. Ahmed Naseem Warraich
Ambassador of Pakistan to Switzerland
I congratulate
t h e
gover nment
a n d t h e
p e o p l e o f
Switzerland
o n S w i s s
National Day.
Pakistan and
Switzerland
enjoy friendly
r e l a t i o n s .
Both countries regularly exchange
views on matters of interest. Prime
Minister Imran Khan held a meeting
with then Swiss President Ueli Maurer
on the sidelines of 74th UNGA on
September 23, 2019. Prime Minister
Imran Khan also had a brief interaction
with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio
Cassis on the sidelines of First Global
Refugee Forum in Geneva on
December 17, 2019.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah
Mahmood Qureshi had telephone
conversations with Swiss Foreign
Minister Ignazio Cassis in August 2019
and May 2020. They discussed
bilateral and regional issues as well as
the Prime Minister’s Debt
Relief Initiative in the wake
of Cvoid-19 pandemic.
bonds of friendship between our two
countries. While the loss of life and
suffering caused by the pandemic
saddens all of us, I take this
opportunity to commend the efforts of
the Swiss government to manage the
unprecedented health emergency.
Pakistan and Switzerland are fully
committed to enhancing long standing
economic partnership. Bilateral trade
between the two countries has seen a
gradual increase in recent years. The
total volume of trade was CHF 542.41
million in 2019. Pakistan’s exports to
Switzerland increased to CHF 168.78
million from CHF 165.99 million in
2018. Swiss investors continue to
maintain interests in Pakistan.
The visit of a delegation of Swiss
b u s i n e s s m e n c o m p r i s i n g
representatives of Swiss SMEs to our
business hubs in Karachi and Lahore in
September 2019 was a manifestation
of our shared desire to further enhance
bilateral economic relations. The visit
helped in exploring business
opportunities through B2B meetings
and company visits. The delegation
also visited 15th “International
Exhibition for Food Equipment &
Technology” in Lahore from September
23-27 2019.
Switzerland supports Pakistan having
a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) within
the framework of the European Free
Trade Association (EFTA) comprising of
Iceland Lichtenstein, Norway and
Switzerland.
The excellence Scholarships offered by
the Swiss Federal Commission for
Scholarships for Foreign Students
(FCS) have enabled our students to
study at world-class Swiss universities
in subjects ranging from humanities to
engineering to AI.
Pakistan community in Switzerland
though small in number yet not only
contributes to the local economy but
also plays key role in strengthening
people to people contracts between
the two countries. Pakistan heritage,
art, fashion, food and film showcased
in Switzerland have been admired by
the Swiss patrons.
I wish peace and prosperity to the
peoples of our two countries.
Happy National Day Switzerland.
In April 2020, digital images
of flags of different
countries were projected
onto the Matterhorn, the
iconic mountain located in
Zermatt Switzerland to
express solidarity with the
countries and peoples
affected by the Covid-19
pandemic. A 100-meter
image of Pakistan’s flag
was projected on April 25,
2020. The thoughtful
gesture reminds us of
TRADE CHRONICLE - July .~ Aug. 2020 - Page # 13