Relations between Georgia and Swiss Confederation
Chronology of Diplomatic Relations
Diplomatic relations between Georgia and Swiss Confederation were established on 10 June 1992.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of Georgia to the Swiss Confederation:
- H.E. Revaz Lominadze (Since August 2020)
- H.E. David Jalagania (2018 - 2020)
- H.E. Irakli Kurashvili (2012 - 2017)
- H.E. Zurab Chiaberashvili (2011-2012)
- H.E. Giorgi Gorgiladze (2008-2011)
- H.E. Levan Mikeladze (2006-2007)
- H.E. Aleksandre Chikvaidze (2003-2005)
- H.E. Amiran Kavadze (1997-2003)
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of Swiss Confederation to Georgia:
- H.E. Patric Franzen (Since December 2018)
- H.E. Lukas Beglinger (2015 - 2018)
- H.E. Günther Bächler (2010-2015)
- H.E. Lorenzo Amberg (2006-2010)
- H.E. Stefan Speck 2001-2006)
Fields of Cooperation
Georgia and the Swiss Confederation cooperate both in bilateral format and within the frames of international organizations. Besides, since 2009, after the breakup of diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation, Switzerland has been fulfilling mediation in Georgian-Russian relations. For this purpose, the Section of Georgian Interests functions at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow and the Section of Russian Interests works at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi.
Around 10 agreements have been signed between Georgia and the Swiss Confederation, envisaging the cooperation in areas such as trade and economy, readmission, air transportation, technical, financial and humanitarian issues, double taxation avoidance etc.
High-level visits between the two countries are frequently exchanged at the level of legislative and executive branches of power.
Inter-parliamentary cooperation is developing dynamically. The inter-parliamentary friendship group of Switzerland has been established at the Parliament of Georgia and the group of friendship with Georgia at the Swiss Parliament.
The cooperation between Georgian regions and Swiss cantons is actively developing. Tourism and agriculture are considered as promising fields of bilateral cooperation. The Swiss-Georgian Business Association operates and joint business fora are organized from time to time.
In terms of further deepening the economic cooperation, it should be noted that the comprehensive Free Trade Agreement was signed with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), during the official visit of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili to the Swiss confederation, on 27 June 2016.
In addition, the humanitarian and technical assistance provided by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) to Georgia is important in the fields of economic development and employment, reconstruction, reduction of disaster risks, social aid to victims of trafficking, etc.
Legal Base:
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Agreement on trade and economic cooperation between the Swiss Confederation and Georgia ,signed in 1999.
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Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Swiss Confederation on international road transport, signed in 2001.
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Joint Declaration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland on Development Cooperation and Migration Issues, signed in 2003
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Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Swiss Confederation concerning Technical, Financial and Humanitarian Cooperation, signed in 2005.
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Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Swiss Federal Council on Readmission of Persons with Unauthorized Stay, signed in 2005.
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Agreement between Georgia and Swiss Confederation on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital , signed in June 2010.
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Agreement beetwin Georgia and Switzerland on the fecilitation of the Issuance of Visas, signed in Neuchatel on 13 September 2013.
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Agreement on Investment Protection between Georgia and the Swiss Confederation signed in Tbilisi on 3 June 2014.
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Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation,signed in Tbilisi on 3 June 2014.
Important Visits
From Georgia:
2009
-December- Working Visit of Mr. Grigol Vashadze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
2010
-June-Working Visit of Mr. Nika Gilauri , Prime Minister of Georgia and Mr. Grigol Vashadze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
2013
-January&mdash
Visit of Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development and Ms. Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, World Economic Forum, Davos.
- September- Official Visit of Ms. Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
2014
- January-
Visit of Mr. Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Ms. Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, World Economic Forum, Davos.
- March- Working Visit of Mr. Shalva Pipia, Minister of Agriculture of Georgia
-June- Working Visit of Ms. Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
-October- Official Visit of Mr. David Usupashvili, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia
-December-Visit of Ms. Tamar Beruchashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Basel, OSCE Ministerial
2015
-January&mdash Visit of Mr. Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development and Ms. Tamar Beruchashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, World Economic Forum, Davos.
-March-Visit of Ms. Tamar Beruchashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Geneva,High-Level Segment of the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
-April-Working visit of Mr. Gigi Gigiadze, Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia to Bern, Political Consultations
-December-Working visit of Mr. David Dondua, Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia to Bern
2016
-January-Visit of Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia and Mr. Mikheil Janelidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, World Economic Forum, Davos
-March-Visit of Mr. Mikheil Janelidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Geneva,High-Level Segment of the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
-April-Visit of the Georgian Parliamentary Delegation to Bern (MP's Ms. Eka Beselia, Mr. Zviad Kvatchantiradze, Mr. Giorgi Kakhiani and Ms. Pati Khalvashi)
27-28 June-Official Visit of Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia to Bern
From Switzerland:
2009
-January-Working Visit of Micheline Calmy-Rey, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
2011
-May- Working Visit of Ms. Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Swiss Confederation, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
2012
-December- Working Visit of Mr. Yves Rossier, State Secretary, Federal Department of the Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
2014
-June- Official Visit of Mr. Didier Burkhalter, President of the Swiss Confederation, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
-July- Working Visit of Mr. Filippo Lombardi, Senator, Head of the Swiss-Georgian friendship group at the Swiss Federal Parliament
2015
-May-Working Visit of Mr. Johann Schneider-Ammann, Federal Councilor, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research of the Swiss Confederation
-November-Visit of the Swiss Parliamentary Delegation to Tbilisi, led by Ms. Kathy Riklin, member of the National Council (CVP/ZH), Chair of the EFTA Parliamentary Committee
Useful Links
Embassy of Georgia to Switzerland
Embassy of Switzerland to Georgia
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
Swiss Development Cooperation Agency