Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Iraq are good and have become closer in recent years. Switzerland prioritises migration and peacebuilding, engaging in a range of cooperation activities, particularly in the humanitarian field, to assist in stabilising the country and achieving lasting peace.
MENA Strategy
On 14 October 2020 the Federal Council adopted a specific strategy for the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA Strategy) for the 2021–2024 period. It identifies five thematic priorities: peace, security and human rights; migration and protection of people in need; sustainable development; economic affairs, finance, science; and digitalisation and new technologies.
These priorities are weighted differently across the various regions and countries. Switzerland’s three priority thematic areas for the Middle East region are armed or political conflicts, economic development and governance. Switzerland is also addressing the needs of young people by promoting the development of vocational training, thus facilitating access to the labour market.
Switzerland’s focus in Iraq
The MENA Strategy identifies the following areas of focus for Iraq:
Peace, security and human rights
Switzerland’s focus is primarily on promoting dialogue as well as working on the past, the rule of law and human rights.
Migration, refugee flows and humanitarian aid
The focus is on the return and reintegration of rejected asylum seekers. Switzerland aims to deepen and formalise bilateral relations with Iraq on migration-related matters and is committed to meeting the basic needs of internally displaced persons.
Switzerland is carrying out humanitarian aid in Iraq within the framework of the 2021–2024 Swiss cooperation programme for the Middle East. The programme’s overall goal is to help protect and empower conflict-affected and vulnerable people, save and rebuild lives, reduce fragility, prevent and transform violent conflicts and generate development prospects, promote good governance, and protect and promote human rights, the rights of refugees and respect for international humanitarian law. To achieve these objectives, Swiss humanitarian aid in Iraq focuses on two areas of intervention: 1) protection and 2) water, sanitation and hygiene.
Other areas of cooperation
Economic affairs, finance, science
Trade between Switzerland and Iraq slowly resumed after it came to a virtual halt in 1991 following the first Gulf War and the imposition of UN sanctions. Swiss export volume to Iraq fell again from 2003, but has since picked up. Switzerland primarily exports pharmaceutical products to Iraq. Although the level of imported goods from Iraq has historically been low, it has increased in recent years. In 2022, the volume of trade between the two countries stood at CHF 163 million.
