South Africa–Switzerland relations

South African-Swiss relations

South Africa	Switzerland

South African-Swiss relations refers to the current and historical relations between South Africa and Switzerland. South Africa has an embassy in Bern and a general consulate in Geneva. Switzerland has an embassy in Pretoria and a general consulate in Cape Town.

Trade

Switzerland did not participate in the United Nations-led boycott of apartheid South Africa, though it did observe the arms-embargo. As a result, in 2002 Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse faced a $50 billion lawsuit in the United States. Lawyer Ed Fagan led the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs. South African human rights lawyer Dumisa Ntsebeza also coordinated the suit. The Swiss banks firmly denied the charges.^[1] The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.

A Swiss-government funded study authored by Historian Peter Hug revealed in 2005 that Swiss company Sulzer AG provided parts used in South African nuclear weapon-related uranium enrichment, providing necessary fissile material during the 1970s.^[2]

See also

• SwissCham Southern Africa
• Foreign relations of South Africa
• Foreign relations of Switzerland

References

External links

• South African Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Switzerland
• Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with South Africa

Foreign relations of Switzerland